The 2026 Trip Itinerary:

Our pre-trip briefing and dinner is at El Toro Tex Mex located at 120 Commerce St, Clute, TX 77531. This MANDATORY briefing is at 5pm on the Sunday evening that your trip begins
After that briefing and dinner, we will travel to the M/V Fling's dock, located at 726 W. Brazos St, Freeport, TX 77541. At the dock, we will sanitize gear, load the boat, participate in the Fling's safety drills and leave the dock around 9pm.
After an overnight transit, we will wake up and spend Day 1 conducting 4 dives at West or East Bank in the FGBNMS.
Day 2 will consist of 4 dives, which could be on West or East Bank in the FGBNMS, at Stetson Bank in the FGBNMS, or TPWD artificial reef sites (rigs or ships). Day 2 sites will fluctuate through the summer, depending on the needs from our research partners.
Day 3 will consist of 4 dives on TPWD artificial reef sites (rigs or ships).
After an overnight transit, we will wake up at the dock on Thursday morning at 7am for breakfast and tearful goodbyes
The trip itinerary may change at any time for any reason. Maybe a buoy is missing. Maybe a boat is on that buoy. Maybe there's a crew boat on that rig. Maybe there's WHALE SHARKS OVER THERE! Our goal to conduct safe awesome productive dives, and we will do so!

2026 Project Description

These trips began as a way to combat and monitor the invasion of lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico. Now Lionfish Invitational Research Expeditions include various projects, including:

Lionfish Removal. This invasive species, known for its voracious appetite, venomous spines and rapid reproduction, is significantly affecting native marine species throughout the western Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Complete lionfish eradication is not an option with current technology, given the species' broad depth tolerance (1,000 feet) and habitat distribution. However, control on a local scale has proven successful. Building on these successes, Lionfish Invitational is partnering with NOAA's Flower Garden Banks Nat'l Marine Sanctuary, Texas Caribbean Charters and Texas Parks & Wildlife to allow trained divers to help conduct research and remove invasive lionfish within FGBNMS and on artificial reef sites in the Gulf of Mexico. A federal collection permit will be issued for three-day lionfish research cruises onboard the recreational dive charter vessel M/V Fling.
TPWD Artificial Reef Monitoring. TPWD's Artificial Reef Team will be conducting roving fish and benthic surveys and water collections for eDNA sampling on its existing and future artificial reef sites (oil rigs). Initiatives include the collection of fin and tissue samples from lionfish for genetic analysis and ciguatera testing and water quality parameters for each site.
Invasive Regal Damselfish Impact Study. Dr. John Majoris (Penn State) and Dr. Jordan Casey (U of Texas) are leading a study based on the invasive Regal's impact on food and habitat, and how it affects the native damselfish (Sargent Majors, Brown Chromies, etc.). They will asses distribution, collect live fish for larvae samples and spear them under our federal permit.
Angelfish Speciation & Hybridization Patterns. Dr. Remy Gatins joins our trips from North Eastern University to collect samples for her study on the hybrid Angelfish resulting from the Blue and Queen angelfish pairings found in the Gulf and Caribbean and the population connectivity of reef fish. We will be collecting non-lethal samples with a federal permit withing the FGBNMS and harvesting with spears on the artificial reef sites.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply, each diver must:

be at least 21 years of age;
be a certified Nitrox diver and at least a certified Advance Open Water scuba diver, or higher certification level. (participants must present valid diver certification cards for all trips);
have DAN or other dive-specific insurance.
attend the lionfish handling course to be held at 5 p.m. in Clute, TX on the Sunday your trip begins and then travel to Freeport, TX to board the FLING;
room with other divers in bunk-style accommodations;
scuba dive at FGBNMS and artificial reef sites using safe scuba diving techniques;
conduct themselves in a responsible manner as volunteers representing Lionfish Invitational;
remove only permitted fish using approved gear;
assist with data collection and processing;
complete and sign all applications, liability waivers and releases.
Pay the trip fee: Our 2026 trip fee is $1100. The trip fee now includes gratuity for the M/V Fling's crew and dinner during the mandatory pre-trip briefing. As of 2025, the trip fee is now non-refundable unless we are able to fill your spot. If you are unable to make the trip, Lionfish Invitational will do everything possible to fill your spot from our waitlist. If your spot is filled, you WILL receive a refund. We have always had an extensive waitlist, to date, we have never NOT been able to fill a spot.
NO COWBOY POLICY: Yeah, we know its Texas, but we have a strict No Cowboy Policy on our trips. Hate following rules? Don't like guidelines? Unable to adhere to safety measures? Just not into staying with a dive buddy? Don't feel like depth limits apply to you? Cool, bro. Go on someone else's trip.

Participant Benefits

Participants will:

participate in 3 days of diving on a research cruises at FGBNMS and TPWD artificial reef sites onboard the M/V Fling;
learn about invasive lionfish, research, and field techniques through a pre-trip lionfish collecting workshop and handling course;
compile data and assist with research efforts;
build relationships with others interested in invasive lionfish control and research;
be immersed in field activities that raise awareness of invasive lionfish and ocean conservation;
gain hands on experience that can be utilized in future lionfish control efforts; and
assist with marine sanctuary resource protection efforts.

Provided to Divers:

three days of diving, including Nitrox;
meals and dorm-style live-aboard accommodations;
pre-trip dinner and workshop training in lionfish collecting and handling;
use of lionfish collecting/handling equipment and materials;
use of aluminum 80 yoke-style tanks and weights

About Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Located in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, FGBNMS includes 17 different banks located off the Texas and Louisiana coastlines. Three of these banks, East Flower Garden Bank, West Flower Garden Bank, and Stetson Banks, are the focus of the Lionfish Invitational expeditions and include the northernmost coral reefs in the continental United States. FGBNMS has partnered with Lionfish Invitational to promote monitoring and lionfish removal within the Sanctuary.

Lionfish were introduced into the Western Atlantic in the late 1980s, and most likely entered the Gulf of Mexico by means of larval transport. In the fall of 2010, lionfish were observed at Sonnier Bank and nearby oil and gas platforms. In July of 2011, lionfish were observed on East and West Flower Garden Banks and Stetson Bank.

About Texas Parks & Wildlife

In 1895, the Texas legislature created the Fish & Oyster Commission to regulate fish harvesting. Over time, this agency was combined with the Game Department and the State Parks Board to create TPWD to for the purpose of managing and protecting all of Texas’ wildlife, fish, and their habitats. Their mission statement is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreations opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Artificial Reef Program, created in 1990 as a program within the Coastal Fisheries Division, promotes, develops, maintains, monitors and enhances the artificial reef potential of Texas offshore waters. TPWD has partnered with Lionfish Invitational to promote monitoring and lionfish removal at sites in their Rigs-to-Reefs Program (decommissioned oil and gas rigs) and their Ships-to-Reefs Program (large intentionally sunk marine vessels).