Should the Goliath Grouper fishery be re-opened?

[imwright1985]

Wow according tothe doccumentary im very lucky, almost every dive i make in 50-100ft range i see atleast 2 or 3 diving between the keys and Jupiter. I think that opening it as a lottery with designated harvest areas, size brackets and quantities is one of the better ideas sincethe populations from what i have seen tend to be clusters of them, They can also do an educational class for spearfisherman so they can learn to use a speargun and run alot less of a chance at hurting themselves, or just hurting the fish. The lobster quantities being low i think are from commercial guys and people catching under size and outa season. I know mini season in the keys has been getting constantly better but once regular season hits the traps go in the water, running a boat out there is like driving through a mine field of traps, and the quantities drop quickly.

 

[BTravlin]

I'm neither a line or spear fisherman but have no problems with either. I do like smallmouth bass fishing occasionally though. Anyway, I've only seen a handful of goliaths around the Caribbean in my hundred seventy some odd dives and it's a thrill every time. I'm not familiar with the Florida population other than what I read here but would only ask that you err in the direction of caution when setting your limits.

 

[imwright1985]

well our gator deal started out as a lotto with like 2 tags and like 100 harvesters a year each harvester had a location and they had size brackets. if they do something like that i think it will allow them a good oportunity and thin out heavier popluated areas so they become a little more evenly distributed over time

 

[jnicholson1437]

Here is a new link to watch the show "Super Grouper" in all it's glory! While it has stirred up quite some controversy the show has changed the views of many fisherman and spearfisherman like myself as to how this fishery should be handled.

If you have watched it, do you still have the same or different view?



Super Grouper | Changing Seas | PBS Video

 

[DennisS]

I'm not very sensitive, otherwise I might remind people of their infancy in this sport. but heres my take I've had more than one Marine scientist tell me I was crazy and that the numbers I see arent reality and that the speicies is still in peril and that I should consider myself lucky to have seen more 4 or 5 at a time, I even offered to show him 30 on 5 different spots. Of coarse declined, I dont think he wanted to get wet.

Heres a question I've often wondered, How fast do these fish grow, I've seen 400 lbs to 20lbs on the same structure. If they are as old as some say, where did the 400 lbs 10-20 years ago when you didnt see them on every dive,? just hiding better than they do now? I do know in places they are much more shy than others, so a learned response to pressure, Maybe?

I'm not really the type to want to kill everyone of them, like I said they are useless over 200 lbs But no one can tell me that a limited harvest would hurt anything. I think they are cool to look at in some scenerios, I saw one eat a 50 lb jack one time and it was one of the cooliest things I've ever seen underwater, guess the guy and his Jack didnt think so.

of course I'm clueless.

What are you trying to do, question their statistics and screw up the models.

 

[diverlen]

I have been diving for over 40 years and have dove all over the east coast of Florida from Ft. Pierce to Key West with over 5,000 dives made. Without making a detailed objection, I must say that this species should not be opened for any take by any means. They are not bothering anyone and there are definitely not enough of them to make any measurable impact on the reefs. They are beautiful creatures to watch and it would be a shame to harm them. Just my .02

 

[FloridaRanger]

Besides, I have to figure any fish that large are so loaded with mercury you wouldn't want to eat them anyway.

 

[100days-a-year]

Plenty enough to support a limited fishery similar to tarpon.395 ocean dives last year and 200+ every year since 87,sporadically before that.

They have rebounded dramatically.Saw 20 last week on a ledge.They are on just about every piece of artificial bottom from Daytona to Charleston deeper than 80' and quite a few on shallower stuff.Saw 40 on a barge in Ft.Pierce as far back as 8 yrs ago.

 

[Squirm88]

I'm all for a reopening on a smaller scale. Something like issuing a limited # of tags, like FWC does for tarpon and gators, or perhaps a mini-season type deal where you could only harvest for a couple of days. A slot system like the one that's in place for snook might also be a good idea to keep breeding adults from being harvested. A jewfish sandwich sure does sound tasty.

However, at present there has been an alarming amount of fishery closures and I don't suspect it will be open season for jewfish anytime soon.