WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A Walton County diver has been crowned Commercial Champion in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) 2025 Lionfish Challenge, marking the 10-year anniversary of the event.
Donald Vautrinot removed 1,161.04 pounds of lionfish from Florida waters during the summer-long tournament, earning first place in the commercial division.
Matt Myers of Jacksonville came in second with 803 pounds, followed by David Garrett of Volusia County with 754 pounds.
In the recreational division, Paul Carlson of Palm Beach County earned the title of Lionfish King after harvesting 1,542 lionfish over 73 dives. He was followed by Kris Anderson of Texas with 1,098 lionfish, and Helen Rodney of Broward County with 962.
More than 500 divers participated in the 2025 competition, completing 1,104 dives and removing over 30,000 lionfish from Florida waters, the FWC reported.
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“Congratulations to our 2025 Lionfish King and Commercial Champion,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young.
“The diving community across our state plays a vital role in promoting conservation and raising awareness of this invasive species.”
Jessica McCawley, director of FWC’s Division of Marine Fisheries Management, added, “Every year, we are blown away by the enthusiastic participation during the Lionfish Challenge. We want to extend our gratitude to all the 2025 participants for their dedication to a thriving and healthy Florida marine ecosystem.”
The Lionfish Challenge, open statewide and free to enter, encourages divers to harvest the invasive species to help protect native fish and marine habitats. Excitement is already building for the 2026 event.
