Host a Lionfish Derby or Tournament

Your Derby/Tournament Guide
Six easy steps to hosting your own lionfish derby or tournament. This pages will go through each step and show you how to use this feature on the Lionfish Patrol app. If you have any questions feel free to contact us using the contact form on this site or in the app’s menu: Support/Report. We look forward to seeing your derbies and all the lionfish you will remove!
Six Steps to Success! Let’s Get Started
Step One
Create An Account
In order to host a derby you have to create an account in our Online Derby Software. Your regular Lionfish Patrol account is not the same. You will need to fill in all the information that will help entice divers to sign up. You will need instructions and derby/tournament rules, prize value, etc. and then click on the Save button.
Verify Your Account
Once you complete the registration you will get a verification message on the screen and an email welcoming you as a host. Click the link in that email to verify your new account where you can now login.
Step Two
Your Dashboard
Once you log in you will be on your Host Dashboard. There really isn’t that much to learn her and it’s self explanatory.
- Host Dashboard is the landing spot which is a Welcome to the Lionfish Tournament/Derby account center. It explains how to Add A Derby and what to look for.
- Add A Tournament/Derby is where you add a new derby. This is where you fill out all the information and upload pictures to help make it stand out in the app. Make sure you give lots of details as you create new derbies.
- My Derby List is where you can manage all of your derbies. Our goals is for you to have many derbies so we can remove more lionfish while inspiring new divers to get involved. They are a great way to get the message out there about the invasive lionfish.
Step Three
Add A Derby
Adding a derby or tournament is easy. Simply fill out all the information boxes on the page. Be descriptive so the divers know exactly what the derby is about – rules, dates and times, prive value, location, etc. You can even put your website and social media accounts in this so people can see your marketing there as well. Promote your derby via social and the app. Remember divers from around the world will see your derby in the Lionfish Patrol app so show them how great it is. When uploading your photos make sure they aren’t hugh files. This helos them load quicky for areas that have poor cell service. Enjoy this planning stage!
Step Four
Review It
Our Review – We want to make sure that the derbies advertised on the app are legitimate so if we find something that we are not sure of we will contact you to verify it. Then we will verify it.
Your Review – Once approved your derby instantly shows up on the app. Review it to make sure you have all your information, images, rules, etc. the way you want. We added a trophy icon in the app’s top menu just left of the dropdown menu in the upper right corner. If you don’t see it there then you need to update your app.
Step Five
Market Your Derby/Tournament
This is when you market your derby however you want. Use your mailing lists, emails, social media posts, groups and clubs, text divers, etc. However you communicate with your lionfish hunters is up to you. Here’s how you market the derby on the App:
- Make sure they are using the lionfish Patrol App. have them log onto the app.
- Click on the Trophy in the top menu (or use the dropdown menu and choose Tournaments/Derbies) to view all available derbies. Encourage them to click on yours and review the information.
- To register for your derby you will have to provide a unique code for each diver.
- Divers use that code by Clicking on the Join Tournament/Derby button and then enter the code where it says “Enter Derby Code.” Then click the blue Join Tournament/Derby button.
That’s it! The app will do the rest like tracking their totals, managing the Leaderboard, etc.


Step Six
Create & Use Derby Codes
Creating a your Derby Codes is simple. copy and send your divers the code for them to enter in the app. Once they enter it they are joined and ready to go. As they log their lionfish catches they will track from the start to the end of the derby dates and time. They will show up in the leaderboard with their totals to see who the winners are. Here’s how to get the codes:
- Log into your Derby Host account.
- Go to the My Derby List and find the derby you want to create codes for.
- Click on the blue Codes button – that will show a popup with your codes.
- Copy, paste and send one code per diver so they can enter it in the app.
As the divers enter their code the Used status will get updated and they will show up at the bottom of that derby page on the app.


That’s It!
Host Often!
Go advertise your derby and get as many divers as possible. More divers = less lionfish! So have as many derbies as you can and help us save our reefs and the reef fish that keep them healthy.
Suggestions
- Find sponsors for prizes, donations to run these derbies and more
- Run some crowdfunding campaigns to help with prize money and expenses
- Ask divers to help promote it
- Blast it on all social media accounts and ask viewers to share it
- Take lots of pictures and show them off to help get more interest in the next one
- Enjoy the process and the events!
