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  • - You get mixed emotions

  • when you're out there hunting the lionfish.

  • A feeling of accomplishment

  • because you're actually making a difference,

  • a feeling of competitiveness because of the fact

  • that, in my case, I'm trying to be Florida's Lionfish King.

  • Lionfish are a non-native species to the Atlantic,

  • the Gulf and the Caribbean.

  • Because they reproduce at such a high rate

  • and have zero predators,

  • they are currently taking over the waters here.

  • Lionfish eat basically everything that we eat,

  • which includes crabs, lobsters, grouper, flounder,

  • anything, you name it, they're game.

  • The scary part is, is that we don't know how many

  • of them are out there, and it's probably a lot bigger

  • than we ever will know because of the fact

  • that we always dive the public spots

  • or the private fishermen spots,

  • but, I mean, the ocean is huge.

  • (water splashing)

  • The Lionfish Challenge is a contest set up

  • for those of us that are making a difference to go out

  • and kill as many lionfish as we can

  • over the next four months.

  • (upbeat electronic music)

  • Not every person is a big fan of spearfishing,

  • but the problem that we have with the lionfish,

  • these things need to be eliminated, every one of them,

  • and whether you're a big fan of it or not,

  • this is just not about spearfishing.

  • It's about taking care of our ecosystem

  • and making sure that everything stays balanced.

  • (instrumental reggae music)

  • Being crowned the Lionfish King

  • will be a huge accomplishment, but it's not just about that.

  • The next weekend, I'll probably go out

  • and do the same thing again

  • even though the competition is over.

  • (instrumental reggae music)

- You get mixed emotions

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