Atlantic Goliath Grouper of Florida: To Fish or Not to Fish

Fisheries ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher C. Koenig ◽  
Felicia C. Coleman ◽  
Christopher R. Malinowski
Keyword(s):  
Goliath Grouper

scholarly journals Local ecological knowledge on the goliath grouper epinephelus itajara (teleostei: serranidae) in southern Brazil

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger ◽  
Rosemeri Carvalho Marenzi ◽  
Áthila Andrade Bertoncini ◽  
Rodrigo Pereira Medeiros ◽  
Maurício Hostim-Silva
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Knowledge System ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Local Conservation ◽  
Spawning Aggregations ◽  
Long Line ◽  
Goliath Grouper

The goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara is a large sized (> 400 kg) and critically endangered marine fish, which is protected in many countries, including Brazil. Through the application of semi-structured interviews, we investigated the local ecological knowledge of seven fishermen specialist on catching E. itajara from the Babitonga bay, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Local long-line fisheries for E. itajara seemed to be a disappearing tradition in the studied site, with a detailed inherent local ecological knowledge system, which is also being lost. Our study also showed that fishermen engaged in recent fisheries, such as spear-fishing, can also possess a detailed local ecological knowledge system. Through the analysis of fishermen local ecological knowledge, several aspects of E. itajara life history were registered. This species is found in the inner and outer Babitonga bay, from saline waters to areas with a large input of freshwater, and inhabits submerged wooden substrates and artificial reefs such as shipwrecks, mooring pillars and cargo containers. It is known to spawn in December and subsequent summer months in the studied area. Spawning aggregations are usually seen in December (during full moon), being also eventually observed in January and February by our informants. While lobsters, spadefishes and octopuses seem to constitute the most important food items of inner bay E. itajara, outer bay individuals may feed on catfishes, crustaceans and other fish species. The goliath grouper is regarded as pacific and curious fish, but frequently display agonistic behavior in the presence of divers. Based on the perception of well experienced spear fishermen, we hypothesize that E. itajara undertakes seasonal migrations from the inner to the outer bay during summer, and that the studied population is suffering from growth over-fishing. Our data provides a practical evidence of how joining scientific and local ecological knowledge will likely benefit E. itajara local conservation and management practices by adding important new biological data into the decision-making process.

The Atlantic Goliath Grouper: Conservation Strategies for a Critically Endangered Species in Brazil

2017 ◽  
pp. 367-405
Author(s):  
Maurício Hostim-Silva ◽  
Áthila A. Bertoncini ◽  
Maíra Borgonha ◽  
Jonas Rodrigues Leite ◽  
Matheus O. Freitas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
Goliath Grouper

scholarly journals Habitat use and abundance of goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara in Brazil: a participative survey

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 803-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinicius J. Giglio ◽  
Johnatas Adelir-Alves ◽  
Leopoldo C. Gerhardinger ◽  
Fabiano C. Grecco ◽  
Felippe A. Daros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Population Recovery ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Goliath Grouper ◽  
The Relationship

Developing survey strategies for threatened species is often limited by access to sufficient individuals to acquire information needed to design appropriate conservation measures. The goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) is a large reef fish, globally classified as critically endangered. In Brazil, fishing has been prohibited since 2002. Herein we investigated habitat use and abundance of E. itajara in Brazil drawn from a participative survey, which engaged volunteer divers in data-collection. A total of 188 reports were recorded between 2005 to 2011 throughout 13 Brazilian states. Our results revealed that habitat type influenced the relationship between total length and depth of occurrence of E. itajara. We observed a significant difference between habitats, artificial presented a nonlinear and natural an asymptotic relationship. This study underscores the importance of developing conservation measures addressing specific habitats and locations to enhance population recovery. Artificial structures (shipwrecks and manmade reefs) are critical habitats that must be considered as highly sensitive areas to E. itajara strategic conservation policies. We suggest the creation and implementation of marine protected areas, as key strategies for E. itajaraconservation, especially for artificial habitats and aggregation sites.

Reef relief and volume are predictors of Atlantic goliath grouper presence and abundance in the eastern Gulf of Mexico

2015 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
AB Collins ◽  
LR Barbieri ◽  
RS McBride ◽  
ED McCoy ◽  
PJ Motta
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Eastern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Goliath Grouper

First Documentation of Male Sexual Maturation in Captivity of Pacific Goliath Grouper,Epinephelus quinquefasciatus

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank A. Chapman ◽  
Jesús H. Gamboa ◽  
Gustavo A. Torres ◽  
Lury N. García
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Goliath Grouper

Lifting the goliath grouper harvest ban: Angler perspectives and willingness to pay

2015 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 156-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey S. Shideler ◽  
David W. Carter ◽  
Christopher Liese ◽  
Joseph E. Serafy
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Goliath Grouper
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