Destin-Fort Walton Beach tournament turns lionfish removal into major conservation event

Sherman Cannon May 26, 2026

The Gulf around Destin-Fort Walton Beach is carrying fewer invasive lionfish after more than 100 divers from across the United States took part in the 2026 Emerald Coast Open, a tournament that turned a conservation mission into one of the area’s biggest spring events.

Destin, Florida – The Gulf around Destin-Fort Walton Beach is carrying fewer invasive lionfish after more than 100 divers from across the United States took part in the 2026 Emerald Coast Open, a tournament that turned a conservation mission into one of the area’s biggest spring events.

This year’s tournament removed 20,752 lionfish from the Gulf, including fish taken from waters around the area’s large artificial reef system. The effort unfolded alongside the Lionfish Festival at HarborWalk Village and Restaurant Week, giving the event a wider community feel while keeping the focus on protecting the marine environment.

“This free family-friendly event has brought divers from across the country to our amazing area since 2019,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin.

“What our natural resources staff and partners have been able to do is remarkable. They have created a festive event for the community that also gives back to our marine ecosystem.”

The final count came from two parts of the competition. During the pre-tournament, divers harvested 5,734 lionfish. The main two-day tournament added another 15,018, pushing the overall total past 20,000. The fish were measured and weighed behind AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar, while the nearby festival hosted by HarborWalk Village brought visitors, food and entertainment close to the action.

The Emerald Coast Open also came with major prizes. Teams competed for more than $100,000 in cash and gear provided by event partners, with categories built around the most lionfish caught, the largest lionfish and the smallest lionfish.

DWM Off the Deep End took first place for most lionfish, earning the $10,000 prize after bringing in 2,641 fish. Lady Ray won the $5,000 prize for largest lionfish with a 461 mm catch, while Nole Mercy Spearfishing claimed the $5,000 smallest lionfish prize with a 56 mm fish. Trenlon Harris won the $1,000 “Guess how many lionfish will be caught?” contest after guessing 15,014, just four away from the actual main tournament number of 15,018.

Restaurant Week also highlighted lionfish as a food source, with local restaurants preparing lionfish-inspired dishes. La Paz Restaurante & Cantina won the Restaurant Week competition for the fourth year in a row.

Lionfish remain a serious concern because they are invasive and have few known predators in the Gulf. Since they are slow-moving, traditional hook-and-line fishing is not as effective as divers using spears.

More information about the tournament is available at https://emeraldcoastopen.com/. Details about Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s natural resource efforts are available at https://www.destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/.