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The Lionfish Challenge 2022, the seventh annual, is a summer-long tournament that rewards divers for their lionfish harvests. The tournament boasted a total of 707 registered participants, the most in the program’s history. 196 divers conducted a total of 676 trips throughout the state during the 3-month tournament and brought in a whopping 25,299 lionfish.

This annual report details restoration, scientific and engineering accomplishments in South Florida coastal areas. For invasive species related information, see "Volume 1, Chapter 7: Status of Nonindigenous Species."

In a first-of-its-kind study for North America, scientists accumulated a list of potential invasive species for Florida, and researchers deemed 40 pose the greatest threat. A team of experts, led by University of Florida scientists, evaluated terrestrial, aquatic and marine species with characteristics that make them particularly adept at invasion. Their list includes 460 vertebrates, invertebrates, algae and plants.

The study, "Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity," was funded by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the UF/IFAS Dean for Research. It is published in the journal Ecosphere.

See also: Plant Industry Pest Alerts for more pests/diseases

TAME Melaleuca (collaborative effort between U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service and University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, South Florida Water Management District, and others)

From the series Invasive Species in South Florida.
See also: So What’s in a Burmese Python Anyway?

Tegus were first reported in the Miami-Dade area about a decade ago as escapees from the pet trade. Since then, over 6,000 tegus have been removed from Dade County. What is most troubling is that the number of tegus seems to be increasing exponentially. Less than 200 tegus were trapped in 2012, but over 1,000 were trapped in 2017. To make matters worse, the areas where they are being trapped are getting closer and closer to the park. From the series Invasive Species in South Florida.

Learn how to prevent introductions. This publication is written for the general public and describes why invasive species are an important issue in Florida and how nonnative species become invasive by moving through five stages of human-aided biological invasion (1) transport, (2) introduction, (3) establishment, (4) spread, and (5) negative impacts. The article also connects these stages to examples in Florida.
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