7th Lionfish Hunting Competition Held Off Finike Coast

October 1, 2026 · Tarım Pusulası

In a competition held in Finike, Antalya, 117 invasive lionfish, which harm the marine ecosystem, were caught, while a tasting event was organized to increase the consumption of the species.

The 7th Lionfish Hunting Competition and Tasting Event, organized under the coordination of the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, concluded off the coast of Finike Gökliman. Nine teams competed fiercely in the organization, implemented in collaboration with the Mediterranean Fisheries Research, Production and Training Institute, the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Finike S.S. Fisheries Cooperative. A total of 117 lionfish, which threaten the marine ecosystem, were caught during the three-hour underwater hunt. According to municipal data, the total weight of the fish brought ashore was recorded as 16 kilograms 438 grams.

While an expert jury evaluated the competition, the Mavikent Team, consisting of Osman Öncel and Mustafa Demir, secured first place in the category for catching the most lionfish with 48 fish. The team also ranked first in the 'largest lionfish' category with a 31.4 cm catch. A first-place prize of 30,000 TL was awarded in both categories. The Harphoons Men Team won 15,000 TL for catching the smallest lionfish, measuring 7 cm. Osman Öncel, a member of the Mavikent Team, shared his feelings after the competition:

A tasting event for citizens was also organized after the competition to protect Mediterranean biodiversity and to introduce this invasive species into consumption habits. Dr. Deniz İlaslan, Head of the Fisheries Branch of the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, made the following statement about the event:

İlaslan stated that they will continue awareness projects for the protection of marine resources. The event attracted significant interest in terms of balancing fishery resources and observing ecological balance.

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