In March 2021, USGS researchers and partners conducted the first-ever Virtual Fish Slam. The bi-annual Fish Slam event helps monitor new introductions and document range expansion of known non-native freshwater fishes.
March 14-18, 2021 – Sixty-three fish biologists and university students from 10 organizations participated in a week-long Virtual Fish Slam. Due to COVID-19, participants sampled local sites of their choosing and submitted their data digitally. Thirty-three sites throughout Florida were sampled for non-native fishes. Sampling gear included electrofishing boats, backpack electrofisher, minnow traps, cast nets, seines, dipnets, hook and line, and underwater camera. Participants collected or observed 20 species of non-native fishes. For general information on Fish Slam events, please see the webpage for the Florida Non-native Fish Action Alliance.
While we missed the comradery and getting to see everyone’s fish collections at the end of the day, the flexibility of this slam allowed people to sample when and where their schedule permitted. This allowed for a broader range of participants who may not have been able to travel to a typical Fish Slam. This also offered some of the participants, particularly in the northern part of the state, the opportunity to explore infrequently sampled sites for non-native species close to home.
A new locality collection for the Jack Dempsey cichlid, Rocio octofasciata, was made by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission near the Little Wekiva River. (Purple arrow on map)
Data from these collections and all our previous Fish Slams are publicly available via the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database. Several collections are cataloged at the Florida Museum.
| Scientific Name | Common Name |
| Channa marulius | bullseye snakehead |
| Monopterus albus | swamp eel |
| Hoplosternum littorale | brown hoplo |
| Pterygoplichthys spp. | sailfin catfish |
| Clarias batrachus | walking catfish |
| Belonesox belizanus | pike killifish |
| Xiphophorus maculatus | southern platyfish |
| Xiphophorus variatus | Variable platyfish |
| Amphilophus citrinellus | Midas cichlid |
| Astronotus ocellatus | Oscar |
| Cichla ocellaris | butterfly peacock bass |
| Cichlasoma bimaculatum | black acara |
| Cichlasoma dimerus | Chanchita |
| Mayaheros urophthalmus | Mayan cichlid |
| Hemichromis letourneuxi | African jewelfish |
| Oreochromis aureus | blue tilapia |
| Oreochromis niloticus | Nile tilapia |
| Parachromis managuensis | jaguar guapote |
| Rocio octofasciata | Jack Dempsey |
| Tilapia mariae | spotted tilapia |
Participants of the March 2021 Fish Slam
The participants of the 2021 Fish Slam were: Josh Bauer (USACE), Valentina Bautista (FIU), Jesse Blanchard (FIU), Ken Blick (USFWS), Chelsea Bohaty (USACE), Tony Brady (USFWS), Mary Brown (USGS), Andy Distrubell (FIU), Cedric Doolittle (USFWS), Allison Durland Donahue and students (Florida Southern University), Dwayne Edwards (FWC), Sorilis Ruiz-Escobar (FM), Gabrielle Foursa (FM), Zachary Frame (FWC), Jonathan Freedman (CNSS), John Galvez (USFWS), Kelly Gestring (FWC), Grant Gilmore, Dayna Hunn (FWC), Shea Husband (FM), Brian Hutchinson (FWC), Howard Jelks (USGS), Danny Khor (FM), Jeff Kline and intern (NPS), Jon Lane (USACE), Joshua Linnenfelser (FIU), Bill Loftus (CNSS), Halle Marchese (FM), Jordan Massie (FIU), Cayla Morningstar (CNSS), Matt Neilson (USGS), Dan Nelson (FWC), Lauren Padron (FIU), Richard Paperno (FWC), Ian Pfingsten (USGS), Justin Procopio (CNSS), Kristen Reaver (USGS), Laura Rincon (FM), Rob Robins (FM), Cheryl Samek (USFWS), Pam Schofield (USGS), Gabriel Somarriba (FM), Shakira Trabelsi (FIU), Nick Trippel (FWC), Vanessa Trujillo (Deering Estate), Sophie White (FM), Ashley Yarbrough (FWC), and Jacob Zetzer (Audubon)
Institutional acronyms: CNSS – Cherokee Nation System Solutions; FIU – Florida International University; FM – Florida Museum; FWC – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; NPS – National Park Service; USACE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; USFWS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; USGS – U.S. Geological Survey
We are grateful to our colleagues who volunteered to make this unprecedented Fish Slam successful. We look forward to conducting the next Fish Slam safely in person.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Southwest Florida Fish Slam – Spring 2022
Treasure Coast and Central Florida Fish Slams- 2019
Fish Slam November 2018
Fish Slam - November 2017
Spring Fish Slam 2017 – Big Cypress
Florida Non-Native Fish Action Alliance
Fish Slam - Fall 2016
Fish Slam - Spring 2016
Fish Slam 2015
Fish Slam 2014
- Overview
In March 2021, USGS researchers and partners conducted the first-ever Virtual Fish Slam. The bi-annual Fish Slam event helps monitor new introductions and document range expansion of known non-native freshwater fishes.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Florida Southern College students with Pterygoplichthys sp, collected during the Virtual Fish Slam - March 2021(Credit: Allison Durland Donahue, Florida Southern University) March 14-18, 2021 – Sixty-three fish biologists and university students from 10 organizations participated in a week-long Virtual Fish Slam. Due to COVID-19, participants sampled local sites of their choosing and submitted their data digitally. Thirty-three sites throughout Florida were sampled for non-native fishes. Sampling gear included electrofishing boats, backpack electrofisher, minnow traps, cast nets, seines, dipnets, hook and line, and underwater camera. Participants collected or observed 20 species of non-native fishes. For general information on Fish Slam events, please see the webpage for the Florida Non-native Fish Action Alliance.
While we missed the comradery and getting to see everyone’s fish collections at the end of the day, the flexibility of this slam allowed people to sample when and where their schedule permitted. This allowed for a broader range of participants who may not have been able to travel to a typical Fish Slam. This also offered some of the participants, particularly in the northern part of the state, the opportunity to explore infrequently sampled sites for non-native species close to home.
A new locality collection for the Jack Dempsey cichlid, Rocio octofasciata, was made by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission near the Little Wekiva River. (Purple arrow on map)
Data from these collections and all our previous Fish Slams are publicly available via the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database. Several collections are cataloged at the Florida Museum.
Non-native fishes collected or observed during Fish Slam 2021
Scientific Name Common Name Channa marulius bullseye snakehead Monopterus albus swamp eel Hoplosternum littorale brown hoplo Pterygoplichthys spp. sailfin catfish Clarias batrachus walking catfish Belonesox belizanus pike killifish Xiphophorus maculatus southern platyfish Xiphophorus variatus Variable platyfish Amphilophus citrinellus Midas cichlid Astronotus ocellatus Oscar Cichla ocellaris butterfly peacock bass Cichlasoma bimaculatum black acara Cichlasoma dimerus Chanchita Mayaheros urophthalmus Mayan cichlid Hemichromis letourneuxi African jewelfish Oreochromis aureus blue tilapia Oreochromis niloticus Nile tilapia Parachromis managuensis jaguar guapote Rocio octofasciata Jack Dempsey Tilapia mariae spotted tilapia
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Bullseye snakehead, Channa marulius, collected in southern Florida during the Virtual Fish Slam - March 2021 Participants of the March 2021 Fish Slam
The participants of the 2021 Fish Slam were: Josh Bauer (USACE), Valentina Bautista (FIU), Jesse Blanchard (FIU), Ken Blick (USFWS), Chelsea Bohaty (USACE), Tony Brady (USFWS), Mary Brown (USGS), Andy Distrubell (FIU), Cedric Doolittle (USFWS), Allison Durland Donahue and students (Florida Southern University), Dwayne Edwards (FWC), Sorilis Ruiz-Escobar (FM), Gabrielle Foursa (FM), Zachary Frame (FWC), Jonathan Freedman (CNSS), John Galvez (USFWS), Kelly Gestring (FWC), Grant Gilmore, Dayna Hunn (FWC), Shea Husband (FM), Brian Hutchinson (FWC), Howard Jelks (USGS), Danny Khor (FM), Jeff Kline and intern (NPS), Jon Lane (USACE), Joshua Linnenfelser (FIU), Bill Loftus (CNSS), Halle Marchese (FM), Jordan Massie (FIU), Cayla Morningstar (CNSS), Matt Neilson (USGS), Dan Nelson (FWC), Lauren Padron (FIU), Richard Paperno (FWC), Ian Pfingsten (USGS), Justin Procopio (CNSS), Kristen Reaver (USGS), Laura Rincon (FM), Rob Robins (FM), Cheryl Samek (USFWS), Pam Schofield (USGS), Gabriel Somarriba (FM), Shakira Trabelsi (FIU), Nick Trippel (FWC), Vanessa Trujillo (Deering Estate), Sophie White (FM), Ashley Yarbrough (FWC), and Jacob Zetzer (Audubon)
Institutional acronyms: CNSS – Cherokee Nation System Solutions; FIU – Florida International University; FM – Florida Museum; FWC – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; NPS – National Park Service; USACE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; USFWS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; USGS – U.S. Geological Survey
We are grateful to our colleagues who volunteered to make this unprecedented Fish Slam successful. We look forward to conducting the next Fish Slam safely in person.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Southwest Florida Fish Slam – Spring 2022
Forty-two fish biologists from seven organizations participated in a two-day Spring Fish Slam event in southwest Florida. Fourteen species of non-native fishes were collected or observed.Treasure Coast and Central Florida Fish Slams- 2019
In March and June 2019, USGS researchers joined partners in Treasure Coast and Central Florida where they sampled freshwater bodies for non-native fishes. The bi-annual Fish Slam event helps monitor new introductions and document range expansion of known non-native fishes.Fish Slam November 2018
In November 2018, USGS researchers joined partners in South Florida where they sampled freshwater bodies for non-native fishes. The bi-annual Fish Slam event helps monitor new introductions and document range expansion of known non-native fishes.Fish Slam - November 2017
The Hunt For The Southernmost Snakehead. Thirty-one fishery biologists from eleven agencies participated in a two-day Fish Slam event. Thirty-five sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties were sampled for non-native fishes.Spring Fish Slam 2017 – Big Cypress
22-23 March 2017 - Ten teams of fishery biologists sampled 28 sites amid unexpected wildfires in the Big Cypress National Preserve over the two day period. On the second day a reporter from the Miami Herald accompanied a ground crew team.Florida Non-Native Fish Action Alliance
The Florida Non-Native Fish Action Alliance brings together federal and state agencies, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations to address the need for documenting and managing the non-native fishes introduced to the state's waters.Fish Slam - Fall 2016
November 1 - 2, 2016 – Eight teams of fishery biologists from the US Geological Survey (USGS), US Fish and Wildlife Service - Peninsular Florida Fisheries Office and Welaka National Fish Hatchery (USFWS), the National Park Service (NPS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida International University (FIU), and Zoo Miami sampled 20 sites for non-native fishes in Palm...Fish Slam - Spring 2016
May 23, 2016 – Five teams of fishery biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Park Service (NPS), Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida (UF), and Florida International University (FIU) sampled 12 sites for non-native fishes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties in southeastern Florida.Fish Slam 2015
November 3, 2015 – Five teams of fishery biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Park Service (NPS), and Florida International University (FIU) sampled for non-native fishes in canals, ponds and ditches in and around the Plantation/Davie area of Broward County, FL.Fish Slam 2014
On November 20, 2014, eight teams of fishery biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. National Park Service (NPS), and Florida International University (FIU) gathered for a one-day sampling event to collect non-native fishes from canals, ponds and ditches in Miami-Dade County, FL. - Partners