FY 26/27 Division of Marine Fisheries Management Apex Predator Summer Showdown Palm Beach County…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission awarded contract C7BDF7 for $2,400.00 to support a lionfish tournament in Palm Beach County, Florida. The event, titled the Apex Predator Summer Showdown, is scheduled for August 29-30, 2026, and is funded through the Division of Marine Fisheries Management. The contractor will host a lionfish category within the tournament to facilitate the removal of invasive Pterois species from state waters in accordance with Florida Statute 379.2311 and the Lionfish Retrieval Assistance Program.

In exchange for the contract award, the prime contractor must deliver tournament results documenting the total number of lionfish harvested, provide an itemized accounting of funding expenditures, and submit a list of participant names and contact information. The contract period extends from the award date of July 30, 2026, through the completion date of December 31, 2026. The contractor may substitute alternative event dates if weather conditions prevent safe execution, subject to written authorization from the Lionfish Program Coordinator and confirmation of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission funding availability.