4th Annual Everglades CISMA Non-Native Fish Round Up is set for Saturday, May 18, 2013.

How many remember fishing in the Everglades area, along the Tamiami Trail or in any of the many canals in the area?  The freshwater quarry then was Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Bowfin and even the occasional Florida Gar just for the sport of it.  

2013 marks the fourth year of the CISMA Non-Native Fish Round Up where you can participate in a fishing tournament geared to eliminating the uninvited guests, known as invasive species.

Info from the Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) website:

The Everglades ecosystem is home to at least 22 nonnative freshwater fish species. These non-native 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 due to the flooding of aquaculture ponds.

The Everglades CISMA is hosting the Everglades Non-native Fish Round Up to raise public awareness about the potential negative impacts of releasing non-native fish into Florida waters, and to encourage anglers to target these nonnative species for consumption. The Round Up will also gather data into non-native fish distribution and abundance that can assist in their management.

The Round Up will be a one day event open to all anglers (shore or boat) fishing in the Everglades area. CASH PRIZES will be awarded for largest fish, largest aggregate catch (weight), and will include a junior division. We also will award a "Slam" prize to the angler that catches the greatest number of non-native species

Location for Miami-Dade

Miccosukee Arches

172th Ave. and US41

(website lists other locations for Broward and Collier Counties.)

Please review the official website for all the details.  All legal freshwater fishing areas in the Everglades area (Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, Lee, Monroe and Palm Beach counties) are open.

You can catch a few delicacies, maybe catch a few snakehead fish.  I previously posted the results (which included the official photographs from the 2012 Everglades CISMA non-native fish round up. The largest single fish was a 2 lb., 14 oz. Bullseye Snakehead.  The team with the most fish in weight hauled in 94.2 lbs.