The goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara, is a large saltwater fish which can reach extremely large sizes, growing to lengths of 8.2 ft. (2.5 m) and weighing as much as 800 lbs. (363 kg). It has a broad head, round tail, small eyes, and short dorsal spines.
What is the difference between a grouper and a goliath grouper?
Goliath Grouper
If you can’t tell by the name, Goliath Groupers are massive. These giant fish can reach about eight feet and weigh over 800 pounds. Unlike other Grouper species, you’ll find Goliaths in more shallow water. They’ll travel to estuaries looking for food and hunt in coastal areas.
What is considered a goliath grouper?
Goliath grouper is the largest of the Atlantic groupers. This giant can reach 800 pounds (455 kg) and over 8 feet (2 meters) in length. The Florida record is a 680-pound goliath grouper caught off Fernandina Beach in 1961.
Can humans eat goliath grouper?
You can’t eat them. The mercury can cause erectile dysfunction, so those who harvest them will just take a photo and let the carcass rot,” Sarah Frias-Torres, a marine researcher who has worked extensively on goliath groupers off the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches.
Why can you not keep goliath grouper?
TAMPA — More than 30 years after overfishing so decimated Florida’s goliath grouper population that the state banned anglers from keeping them, wildlife regulators on Thursday decided to allow people to catch and kill 200 of the fish each year.
What is the biggest grouper ever caught?
680-pound goliath grouper
The heaviest grouper ever caught and certified as an IGFA world record was this 680-pound goliath grouper caught on May 20, 1961, off Fernandina Beach, Florida, using a Spanish mackerel as fishing bait. This particular species of grouper is considered endangered today and protected in the United States and Caribbean.
What is the best tasting grouper?
Meanwhile, the scamp grouper is considered to be the best-tasting among all groupers. It is not as popular as the red grouper, but it is prized for its taste and known to be one of the most esteemed fish found in the Gulf. This fish matures at about 2 years and can live up to 31 years.
Why are they called jewfish?
It may derive from the Italian “giupesce,” which means “bottom fish,” or may have originally been named “jawfish” for its large mouth. A less flattering theory is that in the 1800s, jewfish were declared inferior and only fit for Jews.
What is the fine for keeping a goliath grouper?
Goliath grouper have been protected in state and federal waters off Florida since 1990. In state waters, harvesting goliath grouper is punishable by a fine up to $500 per fish and up to 60 days in jail.
Can a grouper swallow a human whole?
An opportunistic predator, the Goliath grouper can spend hours in dark holes waiting for the right moment to eat everything in its path. This type of grouper lures large fish and invertebrates by just opening its mouth. And if you linger for too long in one area, this predator could eat you alive.
What is the largest goliath grouper on record?
680-pound
According to American Oceans, the world record Goliath grouper is a 680-pound monster caught in 1961. The fish was caught by an angler who fought the fish for over an hour. Not only was this fish approaching 700 pounds, it was seven feet in overall length.
Is goliath grouper aggressive?
Goliath Grouper. This large, solitary fish will defend its territory when threatened, with aggressive body language and a rumbling sound it makes with its swim bladder. Its large, thick, elongated body can grow to over 8 feet long (and up to 800 pounds), from rounded snout and small eyes, to short, fan-like tail fin.
What is the biggest fish ever caught?
The largest fish ever caught which is verified and listed by the IGFA is a 2,664lb (1,208kg) great white shark. It was caught by Australian angler Alfred Dean in April 1959 off the coast of Ceduna, in South Australia.
Can you take a goliath grouper out of the water?
Goliath grouper is a protected species. FWC rules stipulate that harvest and possession of Goliath Grouper is prohibited. Goliath Grouper that are caught but immediately returned to the water free, alive and unharmed are not harvested.
How much does a goliath grouper cost?
for goliath grouper prices can range anywhere from $200 to $3,000 and up, but the average price for a half day for goliath grouper is $787.
How old is a 300 lb grouper?
A 350-pound grouper caught off the coast of Florida is believed to be 50 years old, making it the oldest fish caught in the state’s wildlife research program, officials said.
How old is a 600 pound grouper?
Biologists with the FWC Research Institute estimate the fish is 50 years old. Warsaw groupers can grow to nearly eight feet long and can weigh up to nearly 600 pounds. The largest ever caught in Florida weighed nearly 440 pounds.
Are goliath grouper overpopulated?
Pros: The grouper have rebounded, overpopulation is harmful, and fishermen want them. Cons: Dive tourism would take a hit, the population is still vulnerable, and eating them could be harmful due to high mercury levels.
What is the best tasting fish in the world?
What is the Tastiest Fish to Eat?
- Cod.
- Sea Bass.
- Halibut.
- Red Snapper.
- Salmon.
- Catfish.
- Swordfish.
What is the healthiest fish to eat?
6 of the Healthiest Fish to Eat
- Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the US or British Columbia)
- Salmon (wild-caught, Alaska)
- Oysters (farmed)
- Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught)
- Rainbow Trout (farmed)
- Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the US)
Which is healthier mahi mahi or grouper?
Mahi mahi provides more iron and copper than grouper. Grouper contains more calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Grouper is 35g lower in sodium than mahi mahi. Mahi mahi is rich in mercury, while grouper is low in it.