Goliath groupers

[Bob3]

Right on as usual there Fred.
Let the critters be at the established sightseeing dive spots & thin out the herd in the out of the way places that are thick with them.
By the way, BIG Jewfish eat whatever the heck they want; essentially anything smaller than they are, but are particularly adept at stealing a spearo's dinner. :no

 

[reeldive]

I started diving in the FL keys in 1987, and I never saw any Golliaths (Jewfish). Over the past 20 years I've seen progressively more and more of them, and larger and larger specimens. I love watching these fish on the wrecks and reefs throughout FL. They are a big attraction, and every diver on the boat is talking very lively about the Golliaths they saw on the dive. A huge highlight on my summer diving was when a 6ft Golliath swim right up to my 13yr old son in Jupiter FL. The dive boats and surrounding communties should veiw them as tourist money makers! It is so short-sighted to open the season on these majestic animals.

I suspect poaching, unintentional fishing, an a variety of other stupid human activities will keep the Golliath population in control. Opening up the hunting season on them will simply be over-kill!

Poaching is a serious problem. All you have to do to realize this is to listen to the scutlle but around any LDS. I suspect it to be far more common than most market hunters would admitt. There is a black market outlet for these and other spieces at the back door of almost any sea food restrant. wish the FWC could buget some time and money to slow this practice down.

 

[LowVizWiz]

I don't doubt that Nassau are being poached any differently than Goliath's. But having both species on no-take status does make a discernible difference over lesser regulated groupers. Even the Bahamian fishermen show extra restraint towards Nassau's... I have yet to see one catch and keep a Nassau in my presence. What goes on outside my presence... well that's something else. Bahamians don't waste perfectly good food.

Yup... temptation is a horrible thing! =)

The solution is a spearfishing ONLY tag sale with the tag defining the valid harvest area

Talk about shooting fish in a barrel!

 

[Walter]

Poaching is a serious problem. All you have to do to realize this is to listen to the scutlle but around any LDS. I suspect it to be far more common than most market hunters would admitt. There is a black market outlet for these and other spieces at the back door of almost any sea food restrant. wish the FWC could buget some time and money to slow this practice down.

We have lots of Jewfish in this area, but I've never heard of anyone intentionally shooting one (not since the law changed, anyway).

Talk about shooting fish in a barrel!

Shooting them would be easy. Actually killing them would be a *****!

 

[LowVizWiz]

Shooting them would be easy. Actually killing them would be a *****!

I wouldn't want to try it that's for sure... althought I've seen huge yellowfin and marlin taken with spreaguns and bouys.

 

[FredT]

I wouldn't want to try it that's for sure... althought I've seen huge yellowfin and marlin taken with spreaguns and bouys.

Buoys won't work on jewfish, as they tend to "cave up" and you have to go in and dig them out. The "kill spot" is smaller than your thumb on a 200# fish, buried in bone. Miss it and the fish has a really good chance of killing you. Once they've been hunted a bit they tend to get right skittish too.

Shooting a fish that outweighs YOU is never "shooting fish in a barrel."

FT

 

[Rocha]

Shooting a fish that outweighs YOU is never "shooting fish in a barrel."

FT

Yes, shooting it is like shooting a telefone pole. A three year old can shoot a Goliath , that's why they are so vulnerable. Bringing it back to the boat is an entirely different matter. It is not rare to see many individuals with scars or even spears stuck to them in places where fishing is allowed (or protection is less enforced).

 

[DavidPT40]

Yes, shooting it is like shooting a telefone pole. A three year old can shoot a Goliath , that's why they are so vulnerable. Bringing it back to the boat is an entirely different matter. It is not rare to see many individuals with scars or even spears stuck to them in places where fishing is allowed (or protection is less enforced).

Hey Rocha, not to change the subject too much, but I have a question for you. Whats your opinion on whether or not fish can feel pain?

 

[Missdirected]

I have a question - don't any of you think all this red tide we have been dealing with has had an effect on fish populations?? I'm being serious here, so forgive me if I sound naive.

As for this area, we have some. I certainly would not say that we have an abundance.

 

[ZenDiva]

I have a question - don't any of you think all this red tide we have been dealing with has had an effect on fish populations?? I'm being serious here, so forgive me if I sound naive.

As for this area, we have some. I certainly would not say that we have an abundance.

if you remember last summer tampa bay was inundated w/ red tide and when we went out on the boat all you saw were dead fish floating on the surface, it was very sad....

what's even sadder is so many places that still have grouper on their menu's...exp when the grouper is on the endangeared species list w/ the panda