Marco-Talk Blog

Some video from one of our recent trips off Cape Romano. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXmDBrZQapk

The goliath grouper or itajara (Epinephelus itajara) is a large saltwater fish of the grouper family. It was formerly known as the jewfish; however, in 2001 the American Fisheries Society made the decision to change the name to the less objectionable "goliath grouper".^[1]

The goliath grouper is found primarily in shallow tropical waters among coral and artificial reefs at depths of up to 165 feet (50 m). Their range includes the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, most of the Caribbean, and practically all of the Brazilian coast, where they are known as mero. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean, it occurs from Congo to Senegal. It also occurs in the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California to Peru.^[2]

Young grouper may live in brackish estuaries, canals and mangrove swamps, unusual behavior among grouper.

Goliath grouper

Although they may reach extremely large size (record 1680 lb (762 kg), they usually are around 888 lb (403 kg) when mature. Considered of fine food quality, the goliath grouper were a highly sought after quarry for fishermen of all types. The goliath grouper's inquisitive and generally fearless nature make it a relatively easy prey for spear fishermen. They also tend to spawn in large aggregations returning like clockwork to the same locations making them particularly vulnerable to mass harvesting. Until a harvest ban was placed on the species, the species was in rapid decline. The goliath grouper is totally protected from harvest and is recognized as a critically endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).^[3] The U.S. began protection in 1990 and the Caribbean in 1993. The species' population has been recovering since the ban, however with the fish's slow growth rate it will take some time for populations to return to their previous levels.

Goliath grouper eat crustaceans, other fish, octopi and young sea turtles. Grouper are preyed upon by large fish such as barracuda, moray eels and large sharks.

Based on what little evidence is available, goliath grouper are believed to be protogynous hermaphrodites, with all young being female and only some large adults becoming males.

(Thanks Wikipedia)