Lionfish Tournament - Treasure Cay

[Jim Brown]

The 27th Annual Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament (TCBT), Abaco, Bahamas, has added a conservation-minded lionfish spearfish derby to its agenda and invites the public to participate. While billfish remains the focus of TCBT's standard four days of fishing, the community can help combat the overpopulation of lionfish by entering the separate, one-day Ravage the Savage Lionfish Derby on Wednesday, June 16. A purse of $500 has been offered by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. There is a minimal fee of $15 per person or $35 per boat. A captains meeting will be held at 8:30 am, tournament hours are 10 am - 4 pm followed by awards. It's at Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina www.treasurecay.com. Treasure Cay's Ravage the Savage is the first leg of the Abaco, Bahamas Lionfish Battlefest week, beginning with Treasure Cay's Ravage the Savage on June 16 and culminating with a lionfish derby held at Green Turtle Resort on June 19.

Ravage the Savage Battles the Lionfish Threat to the Marine Environment

The lionfish derby is a proactive response to environmental issues caused by the overpopulated status of this voracious species. Ravage the Savage invites the community to join the battle against the rapid invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfish into the waters of the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic by removing as many as possible. With their population explosion and aggressive behavior, lionfish could create the most disastrous marine invasion in history by drastically reducing the abundance of coral reef fishes and leaving behind a devastated ecosystem. Lionfish are primarily caught by spearfishing with a Hawaiian sling. Other details will be announced on www.treasurecayfishing.com.

[Jer]