ROMAN TIRAPOLSKY - STOCK.ADOBE.COM PHOTOYamaha Rightwaters last week announced its continued support of the Emerald Coast Open tournament, which pits divers against each other to see who can remove the most lionfish from the Gulf of Mexico. This year, 144 divers removed 24,699 of the invasive species.
“Since its inception in 2019, the Emerald Coast Open helped remove more than 72,000 total lionfish from Gulf waters,” Alex Fogg, coastal resource manager, Destin – Fort Walton Beach and Emerald Coast Open Organizer, said in a statement. “We’re glad to have the support of Yamaha Rightwaters and look forward to developing our relationship as we begin to plan for the 2024 tournament.”
Lionfish are an invasive species whose home range includes the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. According to the statement: “Lionfish prey on more than 167 different native fish species and can reduce some reef fish populations by up to 90%. They are capable of eating fish 2/3 their size, and one lionfish can consume roughly 20 fish in a half hour.”
“The mitigation of aquatic invasive species is one of the four pillars of the Yamaha Rightwaters mission,” said Martin Peters, director of external affairs, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “The Emerald Coast Open helps foster healthy marine environments in the Gulf while educating the public about the damage a large lionfish population can cause.”
