2024 SWFL CISMA Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup
Schedule
Fri Apr 26 2024 at 12:00 am to Sun Apr 28 2024 at 03:00 pm
Location
10040 Gulf Center Dr,Ft. Myers,33913,US | Estero, FL
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The 2024 SWFL CISMA Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup! Prizes, Free Swag, Education, and Entertainment!The Southwest Florida waterways are home to numerous invasive freshwater fish species . These invasive fish may be causing detrimental changes to our native fish communities, particularly as the number of new species continues to increase. All but two of these fish were introduced illegally as the result of releases of unwanted pets and food fish, or escapees from aquaculture ponds.
To learn more about these nonnative/invasive fish, check out the FREE webinar taking place at 6:00 pm on Thursday April 11th via this link ( bit.ly/2024FISHSWFL ) or checking out the program flyer below!
WHAT: The Southwest Florida CISMA is hosting the 2024 Southwest Florida Invasive Fish Roundup. PRIZES, ON-SITE ENTERTAINMENT, RAFFLES, AND SWAG! See below!
WHY: This event is being held to raise public awareness about the potential negative impacts of releasing invasive fish into Florida waters, and to encourage anglers to target these invasive species. The Roundup will also gather data about invasive fish distribution and abundance that can assist with future management. There will also be prizes for participants (see details below). There will also be on-site entertainment: there will be live fish tanks with invasive fish, invasive fish filleting demonstrations, a Gyotaku fish print table to commemorate your catch, and educational tables will be set up at the weigh-in at Bass Pro on Sunday, April 28th!
WHO: Open to teams of 1-4 anglers (shore or boat). There will be an adult division (16+) and a junior division (15 and under). Any junior registered on a team with adults will automatically be grouped in the adult category. Registration is LIMITED so sign up today!
WHEN: Competition runs from Friday April 25th to Sunday April 28th. Anglers may begin fishing on Friday at midnight and fish until the in-person weigh-in on Sunday April 28th. We encourge anglers to get to the scales early!
WHERE: All legal freshwater fishing areas in the Southwest Florida CISMA area (Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties). Not sure where to start? Try viewing the species reported distribution maps .
WEIGH-IN: Located at Bass Pro Shop at 10040 Gulf Center Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33913. Scales will be open from 12:00 pm (noon) until 3:00 pm on Sunday, April 28th. Winners MUST be at the weigh-In location when prizes will be announced to receive a prize!
PRIZES: On April 28th there will be Team Prizes issued to Adult Teams AND Junior Teams in the following categories: 1) Highest Net Weight (total weight of all invasive fish caught by an individual or team), 2) Invasive Slam (highest number of invasive fish species caught), and 3) Heaviest Single Fish. Prizes will be awarded for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for the Highest Net Weight category and for 1st place for the Invasive Slam and Heaviest Fish categories. Teams may only win one category which will be selected based on Prize Selection Order (below). There will be a prize table and winning teams will be called to select their preferred prize at the event (one prize per winning team member). Prize winners will be announced after the last team’s fish have been weighed.
PRIZES to be announced and will update the page as we approach the event. If you are a local business or individual that would like to donate a prize for the roundup or would like to get involved, please reach out to Michael Sipos at [email protected].
Prize Selection Order
1 1st Place - Adult - Heaviest Aggregate Catch
2 1st Place - Junior - Heaviest Aggregate Catch
3 2nd Place - Adult - Heaviest Aggregate Catch
4 2nd Place - Junior - Heaviest Aggregate Catch
5 3rd Place - Adult - Heaviest Aggregate Catch
6 3rd Place - Junior - Heaviest Aggregate Catch
7 1st Place - Adult - Invasive Slam
8 1st Place - Junior - Invasive Slam
9 1st Place - Adult - Heaviest Fish
10 1st Place - Junior - Heaviest Fish
In addition to prizes, each participant will receive FREE SWAG for participating in the 2024 Southwest Florida Invasive Fish Roundup. The first 100 registrants will receive a FREE Draw String Bag, lures, and other SWAG!
RULES:
-All harvest of invasive fish for the tournament must occur between April 26-28th within Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.
-Any legal method of fishing is allowed.
-All fish must be kept on ice prior to arrival.
-This is a team event with 1-4 anglers per team. Adult and Junior anglers fishing as a team will be considered an Adult team.
-ALL anglers must register online as individuals and include the Team Name that you are on! All anglers must REGISTER HERE by 7:00am on Friday April 26th. Registration is $10 per Adult (16+) and FREE for Junior (15 or younger) participant.
-ALL ANGLER TEAMS MUST BE AT WEIGH-IN BY 3pm SUNDAY April 28th OR BE DISQUALIFIED. TIP: Allow plenty of time for traffic - don't be late!
-ONLY non-native/invasive freshwater fish are to be brought to the weigh-in and all invasive fish must be dead and on ice to qualify, for more information on identifying invasive fish, click here for a Guide or click here and for known locations, click here . Do not harvest grass carp or butterfly peacock bass for this event! We encourage anglers to keep their catch after the weigh-in if they so choose, but any remaining fish will be donated to our event partner Naples Compost .
-All anglers will be responsible for disclosing specific locations (GPS coordinates preferred) of fish caught for the Florida invasive fish database.
-To receive a PRIZE for the competition or the raffle, winning participants MUST be at the weigh-in location at 3:00 pm when the final weights are tallied and winners are announced.
-FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS: All fish must be caught in compliance with State of Florida regulations and only within legal fishing areas. Any person or boat without valid licensing or registration are in violation of state and or federal law and may have their fish disqualified at time of weigh-in. Native fish are not eligible for prizes.
-For information on legal methods of harvesting freshwater fish, check out this FWC page .
- GRASS CARP and BUTTERFLY PEACOCK BASS: Possession of grass carp is illegal. Grass carp must be returned immediately to the water unharmed as they were released intentionally for aquatic plant control purposes. Butterfly peacock bass have regulations on size and bag limits under state law and although non native, are considered a sportfish and are not an eligible species for this contest. To learn more about these species, please visit https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/freshwater-fish/.
-Any and all participants entering the 2024 Southwest Florida CISMA Invasive Fish Roundup agree that all decisions made by the 2024 Southwest Florida CISMA Invasive Fish Roundup rules committee shall be final and binding in any manner requiring their action.
-PARTICIPANT CONDUCT: This is a fun, educational event to help our native Florida ecosystem. Please follow the honor system in regards to rules! Any evidence of cheating will result in disqualification and a permanent ban from all future events. Proceeds from registration go to event prizes and give aways. Any remaining funds will be used to help implement invasive plant, fish, and wildlife initiatives of the SWFL CISMA.
-PROTEST: Any protest must be announced verbally at the time of the incident, at the weigh-in station.
ADDTIONAL EVENT INFORMATION:
-On-site Entertainment: there will be live fish tanks with invasive fish, invasive fish filleting demonstrations, a Gyotaku fish print table to commemorate your catch, and educational tables will be set up at the weigh-in at Bass Pro on Sunday, April 28th!
-The 2024 Southwest Florida CISMA Invasive Fish Roundup is an all-weather event. Anglers are responsible for monitoring the current local weather conditions and forecasts to determine if safe conditions exist for the boat, crew, anglers, and guests.
-The 2024 Southwest Florida CISMA Invasive Fish Roundup Committee reserves the right to postpone the event and use a back-up date that will be posted here.
WAIVER DISCLAIMER:
It is expressly understood that participants in the 2024 Southwest Florida CISMA Invasive Fish Roundup enter at their own risk. Southwest Florida CISMA and all participating organizations, officers, event sponsors, committees and all other persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said event, shall be exempt from any liability what so ever for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury, or death suffered by any participant, entrant, vessel, and equipment, companions, and guests, boat captains, mates, crewmembers, which may occur during or in conjunction with the 2024 Southwest Florida CISMA Invasive Fish Roundup. By submitting the official registration form, the boat owner, captain and mate(s), anglers and guests consent that Southwest Florida may use without payment or restriction, photographs or video footage, in which he or she may appear for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material.
QUESTIONS:
If you have additional questions, please contact Mike Sipos at [email protected], OR Mitch Barazowski at [email protected]
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Where is it happening?
10040 Gulf Center Dr,Ft. Myers,33913,US, 10040 Gulf Center Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33913-8961, United States,Estero, FloridaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
