Save our Jewfish, aka Goliath Grouper news...

[CuzzA]

I have 129 dives on the Castor in Boynton Beach between 2009 and 2023. I have a fair idea of the number of Goliath Grouper on the Castor during aggregation and at other times. There are a number of Goliath Grouper on the Castor year round, I would estimate this number to be between a dozen or two. You will encounter them on any dive.

The number of Goliath Grouper during aggregation has varied very significantly. For me, the peak during aggregation occurred between about 2011 or 12 and 2016. During these years, there were many, many Goliath Grouper on the Castor, their location based on the current. During a brisk north current, there would be a very large number stacked up at the bow and quite a few at the stern structure. When the current was minimal, they would often group off the port bow and the port stern.

The stern structure of the Castor was knocked off to the starboard in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy in October. This did not seem to affect the Goliath Grouper aggregation. The bow of the Castor was knocked off to the starboard in October of 2016 by Hurricane Matthew. This event seemed to affect the Goliath Grouper aggregation in a very major way and the aggregation has been significantly less ever since. The bow was knocked further to the starboard by Hurricane Irma in September of 2017.

Obviously, I do not know what appears to have decreased the Goliath Grouper aggregation at the Castor, but I wonder if part of the explanation is the change in the environment due to the hurricanes. Perhaps it is just not as desirable location as it once was.

I did 3 dives on the Castor on my recent visit to Florida in September. The first dive had ripping current and poor visibility, I did not make it to the bow. The second dive was perfect, moderate current, good visibility. There were 16 Goliath Grouper stacked up on the bow, not as many as in the old days, but more than I've seen in a while. The third dive was an easy swim to the bow, but only a single Goliath Grouper.

Trip Report - Finally, back at home 2023 #2

I was last down in June, first time this year since recovering from my broken leg at the end of last year. I had a great trip to Malpelo at the end of July. I flew down from Philadelphia to PBI on Tuesday. The plane was completely full. Airport at both ends was a breeze. Effortless car rental...

scubaboard.com

Note the purpose of the Castor wreck was for fishing. But you are absolutely right. Changes in structure and the environment (food) impact where fish go.

Before hurricane Idalia we were beating gag grouper off spots to get to other species. Bait fish all over. After the hurricane they have moved off those same spots as did the bait. Most reports now have them on the really shallow stuff or out in deeper water.

 

[scubadada]

Maybe it would be better if you and CuzzA read actual scientific papers instead of journalist interpretations. Then you can show us your reading comprehension skills after you dive into the science itself. Try this paper which was the basis of the journalist article you had such a trouble misunderstanding.

Absolute Abundance Estimates of Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) on Spawning Aggregation Sites

Absolute Abundance Estimates of Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) on Spawning Aggregation Sites

Reliable data on Atlantic Goliath Grouper abundance are prerequisite to informed management decisions, particularly as the State of Florida reopened a limited harvest on the species in 2023 after a 32-year moratorium. Limited data exist for this purpose and fisheries data have been unavailable...

www.mdpi.com

Thanks Tony, I posted this in post #27

 

[CuzzA]

Thanks Tony, I posted this in post #27

Why thank him? South Florida is excluded from the program. There's no logic arguing against a program that doesn't effect the area y'all are concerned about. I'm having a really hard time understanding this.

It's the equivalent of arguing against a deer season because Key Deer are threatened and there's no deer hunting allowed in the Keys.








Patiently waiting for someone to make the migration argument which then debunks Mote's supposed survey data.

 

[scubadada]

I am grateful that Palm Beach Co is excluded from Golath Grouper fishing, the majority of aggregation takes place here.

 

[Tony Grogan]

I am grateful that Palm Beach Co is excluded from Golath Grouper fishing, the majority of aggregation takes place here.

The majority of aggregation diving takes place in Palm Beach County because of the visibility but there are many spawning aggregation sites around the state. Mote Marine Lab scientists have studied the spawning sites in the Gulf of Mexico. The juvenile growth mangroves habitat for the first 6 years of their life are typically in the 10,000 Island area in Southwest Florida. There are small juvenile Goliath in Palm Beach County such as in the mangroves of Singer Island where commission chairman Rodney Barreto is attempting to develop land.

 

[tomfcrist]

I tend to believe the “scientific” papers are bullcrap. Not because I’m a tinfoil hat wearing flat earther, but because every time I fish I catch a metric ton of the species that NOAA, REEF, etc say aren’t around in numbers that are sustainable to harvest.

Can’t drop a line without hooking a Jewfish or a Red Snapper.

 

[Tony Grogan]

Why thank him? South Florida is excluded from the program. There's no logic arguing against a program that doesn't effect the area y'all are concerned about. I'm having a really hard time understanding this.

It's the equivalent of arguing against a deer season because Key Deer are threatened and there's no deer hunting allowed in the Keys.


Patiently waiting for someone to make the migration argument which then debunks Mote's supposed survey data.

CuzźA, we are talking about an entire species not just our local area. Another one of your specious arguments is going nowhere.

 

[CuzzA]

CuzźA, we I'm talking about an entire species not just our local area. Another one of your specious arguments is going nowhere.

When's the last time you dove the Gulf?

 

[CuzzA]

The majority of aggregation diving takes place in Palm Beach County because of the visibility but there are many spawning aggregation sites around the state. Mote Marine Lab scientists have studied the spawning sites in the Gulf of Mexico. The juvenile growth mangroves habitat for the first 6 years of their life are typically in the 10,000 Island area in Southwest Florida. There are small juvenile Goliath in Palm Beach County such as in the mangroves of Singer Island where commission chairman Rodney Barreto is attempting to develop land.

And the entire undeveloped nature coast with very limited access. The ultimate nursery for countless species given pristine condition and skinny water. Miles and miles of mangrove shoreline, grass flats, and natural reef. This is a huge area of the Gulf Coast. Tampa Bay is another huge estuary. They haven't even scratched the surface of studying the Gulf. It also explains why I could put a diver on a jewfish anywhere on a whim, be it natural ledge or wreck.

Like I said earlier. The Gulf is exponentially larger than South Florida. That fact is constantly ignored.

 

[tekkydiver]

BTW, those slot sized juveniles aren't on the big dive wrecks everyone visits and where Mote claimed they did their survery. This is why we can very easily identify their reporting was intentionally misleading to ignorant readers and likely designed for social media distribution.

Juvenile jewfish are found in shoreline mangroves, estuaries and around bridges and jetties. They are very susceptible to predation to sharks at that size and need the cover of the shoreline. They are a slow swimming fish.

We catch (and release) juvenile GG's all the time in the backcountry of ENP