Protecting Goliath Groupers In Perpetuity

Goliath Groupers have been protected in Florida waters since 1990. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will be meeting on May 12, 2021 to discuss their recommendation to lift this protection and allow for harvest of this species.

These vulnerable and iconic fish, that can reach 8 feet (2.5 m) in length and weigh 800 pounds (360 kg), need to be protected for the health of the ocean and for future generations. It is no longer appropriate to allow people to take these fish for their personal pleasure or for food. We need to protect them in perpetuity like we do for turtles, manatees, dolphins and whales.

The proposal to allow a harvest is not based on science. Leading Goliath Grouper scientists Dr. Felicia C. Coleman, Dr. Christopher C. Koenig and Dr. Christopher R. Malinowski all believe that populations of Goliath Grouper are still struggling to recover because of mortality events caused by recurring red tides and historic cold weather events, limited healthy mangrove habitat, and poor water quality necessary for their young to survive. They also state that high levels of mercury in Goliath Groupers can present severe consequences to people that eat them, and causes harm to the fish themselves.