PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — A Duval County resident was awarded in Panama City Beach, Fla. Wednesday for catching the largest lionfish in the 2019 Lionfish challenge.
Ron Surrency caught a lionfish about 17 inches, the largest lionfish out of 23,451 captured in the competition, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Surrency was awarded during last year's competition for having removed 5,017 pounds of lionfish.
This year's first-place recreational winner for the most lionfish caught is Ken Ayers of Bay County with 1,194 removed. Joshua Livingston of Okaloosa County won first place for the commercial category for catching lionfish weighing at about 3,193 pounds.
The competition ran from May 18 to Sept. 2 and rewarded participants for their lionfish removals. Lionfish are an invasive species and have a potential negative impact on Florida's wildlife and habitat.
