ZooKeeper

College of the Florida Keys Derby & Educational Event
2024-05-18 | FL

ECO Main Tournament Begins
2024-05-17 - 2024-05-18 | Emerald Coast Open
Get in on all the action of Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament! Compete with the best lionfish hunters in the world for the most, the largest, and even the smallest lionfish. Largest cash prize pool ever!
Register

Kyalami Divers - The Scuba Club Lionfish Derby
2024-05-17 | Kyalami Divers, 200 East 13th Street, Slip P14, Riviera Beach, FL, 33404, United States

2024 SC Aquarium's JuLionfish Derby Begins
2024-05-01 | South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, FL, 29401, United States
For all details and registration: https://one.bidpal.net/julionfish2024/welcome

(Private) ZooKeeper's 2nd Annual Curacao Lionfish Derby
2024-04-20 | Ocean Encounters, Lions Dive & Beach Resort, Bapor Kibra Z/N, Curaçao
Missing out on our ZooKeeper Nation Curacao Lionfish Invasion? Next year you can join us. Keep an eye on socials and the events calendar.

Curacao 2024 ZooKeeper Hunting Trip
2024-04-18 - 2024-04-24 | Ocean Encounters, Lions Dive & Beach Resort, Bapor Kibra Z/N, Curaçao
Trip

Invasive Lionfish Tracker Course (Boat Trip)
2024-04-06 08:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | DX Diver’s LADY GO DIVER, Marina One West Building, 609 North Federal Hwy, Deerfield Beach, 33441, United States

Invasive Lionfish Tracker Course (Classroom)
2024-04-05 19:00 - 21:00 | ZooKeeper Classroom, 10330 NW 55th St, Sunrise, FL, 33351, United States

ECO Pre-Tournament Begins
2024-02-01 | Emerald Coast Open
Start racking up those raffle entries! Between Feb 1 – May 18, registered participants can turn in lionfish at designated drop off spots for 2 for 1 raffle entries. For every lionfish you turn in, you get 2 raffle entries for over $10,000 in prizes given away at the main tournament.
Rules & Learn More

DXDIVERS LIONFISH & LOBSTER DERBY
2023-12-02 07:30 - 15:30 | DX Divers, 455 S Federal Hwy, Deerfield Beach, 33441, United States
DXDIVERS DERBY DETAILS

Dates & Times: 12/2/23 (8:30 am boat departure)
Teams: Teams of 2 ($85 per diver, includes 1 raffle ticket entry)
Prizes: Team prizes & raffle prizes ($5 for extra tickets) – purchase here
BOOK YOUR SPOT

DXDIVERS DERBY TEAM PRIZES

Most Lionfish – Two $50 DXD Digital GC + 4 FREE Trips
Biggest Lionfish – Two $25 + 2 FREE Trips
Smallest Lionfish – Two $25 + 2 FREE Trips
Largest Lobster Carapace – Two $25 + 2 FREE Trips
BOOK YOUR SPOT

DXDIVERS DERBY “WEIGH-IN”

Bring your catch to the DXDivers pool at 2:30pm
$5 Derby Raffle Drawing:
DXD 5 Trips Card
DXD 12 Fills Card
DXD $50 Gift Card
DXD Gloves + Shirt
*More Prizes from your favorite Lionfish Hunting Vendors too!
BUY A RAFFLE TICKET

DEMA 2023 in New Orleans
2023-11-14 10:00 - 2023-11-17 17:00 | FL
Where:
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Halls G-J
New Orleans, Louisiana

Blue Wild @ the Ft Lauderdale Boat Show
2023-10-25 - 2023-10-29 | Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, Fl, 33316
Life League Gear is attending too.

FWC Lionfish Challenge ENDS
2023-10-01 | TBD
The 2023 Lionfish Challenge presented by Zookeeper is a summer-long lionfish tournament held throughout the state of Florida. The rules are simple: harvest lionfish, win prizes!

REEF's Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby and Festival
2023-09-10 | Three Waters Resort, 84001 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, 33036, United States
Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival – September 7-10 in Islamorada, Florida: Our 14th Florida Keys Lionfish Derby will include two full days of lionfish hunting, followed by a family-friendly festival at picturesque Postcard Inn Resort & Marina. Team registration will be open later this year.
2023 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival
REEF’s 14th annual event will include two full days of lionfish fishing, followed by a family-friendly festival at picturesque Postcard Inn Resort & Marina. The festival is open to the public and will include lionfish scoring, fillet and dissection demonstrations, lionfish tastings, lionfish games and crafts, raffle prizes, plus booths from environmentally-minded vendors. Chefs will be providing lionfish cooking demonstrations and special dishes and drink special will be available.
CONSERVATION FESTIVAL – Sunday September 10, 2023 11AM – 4PM, Postcard Inn Bearch Resort & Marina
Limited festival vendor space is available for nonprofits, government organizations, and artisanal vendors.
Thursday, Sept. 7: Captain’s Meeting* for registered derby teams – 6:30-7:30PM (6:15 PM final check in), REEF Campus Key Largo & virtual (link sent out to registrants); gear rental begins
Friday, Sept. 8: Fishing sunrise to sundown
Saturday, Sept. 9: Fishing sunrise to sundown
Sunday, Sept. 10: No fishing; lionfish festival and awards ceremony at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina; Final Team Weigh-in 12PM; Awards Ceremony at 3PM;
*The Captain’s Meeting is mandatory for the team captains, and all team members are encouraged to attend. The team captain must be one of the four participants in the derby, but does not need to be the captain of the boat. Safe collecting and handling techniques and derby rules will be reviewed. The Captain’s meeting will be offered in-person and virtually.
IMPORTANT: Teams wishing to fish in the areas that fall under the FKNMS, FWC, and DEP permit must schedule a time to come to the REEF Campus to pick up packet materials, permits, and flags during the week of September 5 or pick up at the Captain’s Meeting.
How much does it cost?
Early Bird Registration Discounts Available
$75 per team through August 11, 2023
$100 per team on or before September 8, 2023 (6:30PM)
Minimum 2 people per team, maximum 4 people
How to Participate
Step 1: Gather your team. Derby teams can be made of 2-4 divers. Decide on what level you will participate (Apex Predators or Reef Defender).
Step 2: Register your team and pay the Registration Fee.
Register and Pay
Step 3: All members of your team need to complete the waiver.
Online Waivers
Step 4: Make sure everyone on your team understands the rules of the Derby.
Derby Rules
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded for MOST lionfish, SMALLEST and LARGEST lionfish and a Golden Fish raffle award for all participating teams.
During registration, teams must choose to compete in one of two divisions for the MOST Lionfish Prize.
Apex Predators Division (More Competitive Division; Greater Prize Money)
Reef Defenders Division (More Casual Division; Lower Prize Money)
All teams will compete together for LARGEST and SMALLEST lionfish categories.
Additional Details
Teams that will be fishing in the areas that fall under the FKNMS and FWC permit must schedule a time to come to REEF campus to pick up packet material, permits and flags during the week of September 4, 2022.
Teams will be able to take at least 80% of their catch after it is measured (REEF will keep some lionfish to use towards education and outreach activities).
Teams can also submit their catch through FWC’s Commercial Lionfish Harvest Program.
Teams must attend the awards ceremony at Postcard Inn Resort and Marina to win prizes.
All lionfish should be well packed on ice and teams must provide enough ice for lionfish, particularly those that will be held overnight.
Don’t have a boat? Local Charters are available. Call shops for rates or contact lionfish@REEF.org for more details.

REEF's Florida Keys Lionfish Fall Derby
2023-09-08 06:00 - 2023-09-09 18:00 | Reef Environmental Education Foundation Headquarters, 98300 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, 33037, United States

REEF's Rockin’ the Dock
2023-07-29 | Sharkey’s SharkBite Grill, 522 Caribbean Dr., Key Largo, 33037, United States
Details coming soon!

SC Aquarium JuLionfish Festival
2023-07-28 19:00 - 22:00 | South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, FL, 29401, United States
How much are tickets to the JuLionfish Festival and what does it include?
Tickets are $65 and members are $60. Tickets to the JuLionfish Festival include entrance to the Aquarium, small bites and lionfish tastings, beer and wine bar, live entertainment, a silent auction and more!
Where can I buy tickets to the JuLionfish Festival?
Tickets can be purchased here.
I am a diver. Can I still participate in the JuLionfish Derby?
Yes! Derby registration is still open and you can register for the Derby here; divers can register for the Derby + Festival, or just the Derby. Registration includes an official event T-shirt, a participant’s meeting, commemorative challenge coin and eligibility for prizes.
What time do doors open and when does the event end?
Doors open at 7 p.m. No entry will be allowed after 9:15 p.m. No re-entry to the event is allowed. Tasting stations and bars will close at 9:45 p.m., and the event concludes at 10 p.m.
Will I be able to buy tickets at the gate?
With a limited number of tickets available, we anticipate selling out prior to the event. We encourage all who wish to attend to buy tickets prior to the event. If there are tickets available on the date of the event, you will be able to buy them at the gate. Please note, to avoid ticket scams, only purchase tickets directly from the official website at scaquarium.org/JuLionfish
What should I wear?
Most attendees of the JuLionfish Festival come dressed in summer casual attire.
What should I bring?
Please have your photo I.D. ready. The JuLionfish Festival is a 21+ event. You may also bring a refillable water bottle, but no other outside food or beverage is permitted.
Will this event take place if it rains?
Yes, all events are held rain or shine.
Can I receive a refund for my ticket if I can no longer attend?
All tickets are non-refundable.
Where should I park?
There is a city-operated parking garage located at 24 Calhoun Street, as well as metered parking in the areas surrounding the Aquarium. If you drive to and from the event, please do so responsibly.

SC Aquarium JuLionfish Derby ENDS
2023-07-27 | South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, FL, 29401, United States

PADI's Women Dive Day - Debris Cleanup with DX Divers
2023-07-15 08:00 - 14:00 | DX Diver’s LADY GO DIVER, Marina One West Building, 609 North Federal Hwy, Deerfield Beach, 33441, United States
PADI’s Women Dive Day

FINZ Dive Ctr - Key West Lionfish Derby
2023-07-15 - 2023-07-16 | FINZ Dive Center, 6003 Penisular Ave Suite 4, Key West, 33040, United States
First Annual – Key West Lionfish Derby hosted by FINZ Dive Center
For more information & register: https://finzdivecenter.com/lionfishderby

REEF's Florida Keys Lionfish Sweeps ENDS
2023-06-30 | Reef Environmental Education Foundation Headquarters, 98300 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, 33037, United States
April 1 – June 30, 2023
Join REEFs 2023 Florida Keys Lionfish Sweeps!
Steady removal of Lionfish from our local reefs can help protect native fish species & ensure a balanced ecosystem
Participants can remove Invasive Lionfish from April to June 2023 for entry into cash raffles & final cash prizes and donate the fish to REEF’s Education & Outreach Programs
To Participate Drop off lionfish between April 1 to June 30, 2023 at:
REEF Campus, Key Largo, FL 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday each week
Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL 9AM-5PM on Mondays each week
Lionfish Sweeps Preregistration
Online preregistration is not required, participants can register in person during first drop anytime between April 1-June 30
Final Results will be announced & raffles will be drawn at Sharkey’s Sharkbite Grille Rockin’ the Dock – July 2023

At least $2000 in Cash Prizes
Cash prizes will be given out to 1st place, 2nd place & 3rd place
Two cash raffle prize pools with multiple drawings
PARTICIPANT RAFFLE – Each participant receives a raffle tix upon entry & then a raffle tix each week they drop off fish (regardless of fish #)
LIONFISH RAFFLE – Each participant receives a raffle tix for their first lionfish & then an additional raffle tix for every 20 lionfish they drop off
A selection of custom made Zookeepers and Zookeeper spears will also be included as prizes
Each participant receives a REEF Lionfish Neck Gaiter with entry
Each participant receives a 2023 REEF Lionfish Derby Shirt after dropping off 10 lionfish

Florida Keys Lionfish Sweeps Rules

Participants can sign up and complete waivers during their first drop off of lionfish between April 1 – June 30 2023
Entry is free (all lionfish must be donated)
This is an individual competition, Lionfish must be harvested by the person credited for the harvest
Lionfish can be captured from anywhere (legal) but must be dropped off at REEF Campus or Mote
Lionfish must be caught between April-June 30
No previously caught or frozen lionfish will be allowed
Please turn in all lionfish fresh on ice for consumption
Only legal means of capture in areas allowing use of those gear types will be allowed. All existing federal, state, and local laws must be followed
All lionfish must be in whole condition
Lionfish will be used for sampling, research, or culinary tasting events
Lionfish can be used for additional events including FWC’s Lionfish Challenge
Weekend drop times and alternate times may be available upon request email lionfish@REEF.org
Lionfish are venomous & should be handled with care with protective gloves & containment devices
It is recommended that divers carry first aid kits, hot water and/or heat packs when collecting lionfish
All participants operate under the honor system for this conservation effort and are responsible for compliance with the rules.

Any violation of these rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of prizes and cash awards, and at the sole discretion of the tournament officials may lead to prohibited from entry in any future tournaments.

Invasive Lionfish Tracker Course - BOAT TRIP
2023-06-10 08:00 - 14:00, 2023-06-03 13:00 - 17:00 | DX Diver’s LADY GO DIVER, Marina One West Building, 609 North Federal Hwy, Deerfield Beach, 33441, United States

Invasive Lionfish Tracker Course - CLASSROOM
2023-06-09 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-06-03 08:30 - 11:30 | ZooKeeper Classroom, 10330 NW 55th St, Sunrise, FL, 33351, United States
Includes:

Classroom materials
Course instruction
2 tank boat dives
PADI certification

Native to the Pacific Ocean, lionfish are progressively invading the north-western Atlantic and the Caribbean, where they have no natural predators. Learn what action is needed to control the lionfish population and, during two scuba dives, learn practical ways to safely and humanely capture and euthanize these fish.

FWC Lionfish Challenge STARTS
2023-06-01 | TBD
The 2023 Lionfish Challenge presented by Zookeeper is a summer-long lionfish tournament held throughout the state of Florida. The rules are simple: harvest lionfish, win prizes!
Registration

Please read all rules and instructions before registering.
Registration is free, but remember to keep you registration number to track submissions.
Participants may only qualify for one category (recreational or commercial).

Participants with an active Saltwater Products License and commercial lionfish sales within the last year must register for the commercial category.

CORE VI - St. Croix USVI Lionfish Derby
2023-05-26 - 2023-05-28 | FL

Emerald Coast Open Festival & Awards Ceremony
2023-05-21 11:00 - 17:00 | AJ’s on the Harbor, 116 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL, 32541, United States
Lots of family fun too!
Weigh Station opens at 7:00 am and closes at 11:00 am
** NO FISH MAY BE HARVESTED ON SUNDAY **
Awards ceremony – Approximately 3:00pm

Emerald Coast Open Derby
2023-05-19 05:00 - 2023-05-20 17:00 | Emerald Coast Open
Rules are Subject to Change. All changes to the rules and final instructions are given at the mandatory Captain’s Meeting which takes place Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 7:00 pm. Changes shall be posted on the Emerald Coast Open website and social media pages
Entry Fee is $75 per participant through March 31, 2023. On April 1, 2023, the entry fee is $100 per participant. Teams consist of a maximum of 4 participants. Registration and fees include the ECO Pre-Tournament from February 1 – May 18, 2023

Tournament Dates:
Friday, May 19, 2023 – Sunday May 21, 2023

Thursday, May 18th

Mandatory Captain’s Meeting – 7:00 pm,
AJ’s on the Harbor, Destin, FL or Tune in to Facebook live (see below)
Registration ENDS at 7:00 pm

Friday, May 19th

Harvesting begins at first light and ends at last light.
Weigh Station opens at 3:00 pm and closes at 6:00 pm

Saturday, May 20th

Harvesting begins at first light and ends at last light.
Weigh Station opens at 3:00 pm and closes at 6:00 pm

Sunday, May 21st

Weigh Station opens at 7:00 am and closes at 11:00 am
** NO FISH MAY BE HARVESTED ON SUNDAY **
Awards ceremony – Approximately 3:00pm

1. TEAM REGISTRATION
A. Registration will be available on the Emerald Coast Open website (EmeraldCoastOpen.com) through an online registration system. All participants must read and understand the Tournament Rules prior to registering. Payment is due at time of registration. Payment and completed registration shall constitute a representation by each participant that he/she has read and fully understands the tournament rules and that he/she will abide by such rules and decisions of the tournament committee.
B. Non-refundable registration fees are $75 per participant for Early registration through March 31, 2023 and $100 per participant thereafter.
C. Each registrant will receive a tournament packet, including a tournament T-Shirt. Packets can be picked up by the participant at the Captain’s meeting. If you are not attending the Captain’s meeting, you can pick up your packet at the awards ceremony on Sunday. If you are unable to pick up your packet, please designate someone to pick it up for you. Packets will not be mailed to participants after the event.
D. To qualify for prizes and awards, participants must be registered, paid and show proper identification. All applicants must be registered completely by 7:00pm Thursday May 18th, 2023.
E. Teams will be limited to 4 persons; though more than one team may be present on the same boat. Additionally, teams may split onto multiple boats. Each member must declare a team name upon registration. Once registration is closed, teams are locked. Teams may not substitute participants during the tournament for any reason, and will be subject to disqualification. Individuals can register as a single person team to be eligible for prizes.
F. Team names must not be offensive in nature. “Offensive” will be determined by the Tournament Director and may require teams to modify their names at any time.
G. Registration includes entry into both the Emerald Coast Open Pre-Tournament and 2-day Lionfish Tournament.
2. MANDATORY CAPTAIN’S MEETING
A. The mandatory captain’s meeting will be held from 7:00 – 8:00 pm at AJ’s on the Harbor in Destin, Florida on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
B. A designated representative from each team must check in at the official Captain’s safety meeting for rule changes and tournament instructions. The Captain’s meeting will also be livestreamed on Facebook Live on the Emerald Coast Open Facebook Page. The team representative must either be present in person or comment on the Facebook page that they are watching the livestream event.
C. Registered teams who do not check in at the mandatory captain’s meeting will not be eligible for participation.
3. ACCEPTABLE FISH
A. Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) eligible for entry may only be taken during the tournament hours. No previously caught or frozen lionfish will be allowed, however, please keep all lionfish on ice.
B. Only legal means of capture in areas allowing use of those gear types will be allowed. All existing federal, state, and local laws must be followed.
C. All lionfish must be in whole condition (no missing heads or tails). Largest and smallest fish will be determined by total length of the fish in millimeters measuring from tip of snout to tip of tail. If the tail is damaged, scientifically-recognized standard length may be used as determined by the weighmaster.
D. Lionfish caught during the tournament may be donated for sampling, research or for consumption during the event days. Fish must be preserved on ice. All other lionfish not donated or sold must be disposed of properly by the individual capturing the lionfish.
E. Protective gloves should be worn when handling lionfish. Participants are encouraged to carry appropriate first aid kit specific for Lionfish stings.
4. TOURNAMENT HOURS
A. Teams may start from any waters where lionfish are legal to harvest. Tournament Hours are first light until last light Friday 5/19/2023 and Saturday 5/20/2023. All fish must be present at the scoring station by 11 am on Sunday 5/21/2023. Any fish not present at the scoring station by the designated time will not be counted for the tournament.
B. All waters are eligible for tournament harvest. The tournament shall take place regardless of weather conditions. Captains make their own decisions about whether to venture out.
5. SCORING STATION HOURS
A. Lionfish may only be taken during tournament hours and the fish must be presented to the scoring station. Scoring station will be located at AJ’s on the Harbor in Destin, Florida. The Scoring Station will open on Friday and Saturday 5/19/2023 – 5/20/2023 from 3:00 – 6:00 pm and Sunday 5/21/2023 from 7:00 am – 11:00 am. All fish must be present at the scoring station by 11:00 am Sun 5/21/2023 to be counted.
6. SCORING STATION PROCEDURES
A. All fish must be present at the scoring station by 11:00 am on Sunday 5/21/2023. Teams must have lionfish in coolers and properly iced.
B. Team captain or designee must deliver the coolers to the designated scoring location and check in with the scoring station staff, who will verify the number of coolers and place tape across the lid of the cooler indicating the team name and number of coolers associated with the team. Teams need to declare at this time whether lionfish will be sold, donated or kept.
C. It is highly recommended that the team captain or designee be present when the fish are being counted and measured by scoring station staff. If there is a backup at the scoring station, team captain or designee does not have to stand next to their coolers, but stay close enough where scoring station staff can locate them quickly.
D. Scoring station staff will direct the team coolers to a specific counting station. Staff will remove the lionfish from the cooler, measure and record total length of each fish according to current scientific established methods.
E. An overall count, minimum and maximum size will be recorded by the scoring staff on the team scoresheet and submitted to the weighmaster.
F. If there is any discrepancy over measurement or count, the team captain should bring it to the weighmaster immediately while the fish are still at the scoring station table. Decisions of the weighmaster and rules committee are final.
7. TOURNAMENT AWARDS
A. Only one winning entry per team will be allowed in EACH category. In the event of a tie the winning team or individual will be determined by the earliest check in of their lionfish at the scoring station.
B. Cash awards will be presented to the team according to the following schedule:

Most Lionfish (Team)

1st Place
$10,000

2nd Place
$6,000

3rd Place
$4,000

4th Place
$2,000

5th Place
$1,000

6th Place
$500

Largest Lionfish (Team)

1st Place
$5,000

2nd Place
$3,000

3rd Place
$2,000

4th Place
$1,000

5th Place
$750

6th Place
$500

Smallest Lionfish (Team)

1st Place
$5000

2nd Place
$3,000

3rd Place
$2,000

4th Place
$1,000

5th Place
$750

6th Place
$500

C. Teams that wish to donate their catch may do so for the raffle prize drawing. One lionfish equals one raffle ticket during the two day tournament.
D. Raffle prizes will be drawn randomly until all prizes have been distributed
8. PAYMENT OF CASH AWARDS
A. All cash prizes will be awarded by bank check.
B. Each team must designate a representative payee to receive payment of all team cash awards. For winners of cash awards a single check will be written to the boat’s representative payee for the total of tournament cash awards
C. Checks will be written after the Tournament Awards Ceremony on Sunday.
D. The Tournament accepts no responsibility for the division of any cash awards between team members.
9. ADHERENCE TO TOURNAMENT RULES AND PROTESTS
A. The Lionfish tournament is an honor system tournament with all registrants being responsible for compliance with the rules.
B. Any violation of these rules resulting in disqualification will result in forfeiture of entry fee, prizes and cash awards, and at the sole discretion of the tournament officials, prohibited from entry in any future tournaments.
C. If non-compliance with tournament rules are suspected, the tournament committee reserves the right to conduct a polygraph. Without a successful polygraph the team will forfeit all prizes.
D. All protests must be presented in writing along with a $500 deposit by the team captain to the tournament committee no later than 15 minutes after results are posted on the final day of the tournament.
E. Tournament committee will refer to submitted count sheets for any protests relating to count or size. If teams are not present during the counting, they forfeit their ability to protest the accuracy of the count sheets.
F. Poor sportsmanship will be grounds for disqualification from this tournament.
10. PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES
A. All entrants agree to allow tournament officials and Emerald Coast Open to use participant’s name, awards, and photos for any media and promotional purposes.
11. ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND RULES COMMITTEE ARE FINAL.

Emerald Coast Open Mandatory Captain's Meeting
2023-05-18 19:00 - 20:00 | AJ’s on the Harbor, 116 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL, 32541, United States
A designated representative from each team must check in at the official Captain’s safety meeting for rule changes and tournament instructions. The Captain’s meeting will also be live streamed on Facebook Live on the Emerald Coast Open Facebook Page. The team representative must either be present in person or comment on the Facebook page that they are watching the live stream event.
Registered teams who do not check in at the mandatory captain’s meeting will not be eligible for participation.
