Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officials warn of invasive giant tiger prawn off Fla. coast

Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wants Gulf Coast fishermen to be the lookout for nonnative giant tiger prawn.

A recent sighting near Panama City marked the first time prawn were confirmed in Florida's northern Gulf. Sightings were reported off St. Augustine this summer, and the commission says it is working to confirm other sightings off Pensacola Bay.

The prawn is native to Southeast Asia and Australia and was accidentally introduced into U.S. waters in 1988. Biologists want fishermen's help to know more about how widespread the giant tiger prawn is in Florida coastal waters. The wildlife commission asks anyone who catches a giant tiger prawn to report the size, date and location of the capture to the agency.