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A review of the iconic Atlantic goliath grouper by a team of Florida State University scientists revealed considerable downsides to proposals to reopen the fishery that has been closed for nearly 30 years.
In Fisheries magazine, FSU researchers explain that though the species has recovered to some extent in Florida waters since the closure, it is still vulnerable to rapid population declines that result from cold snaps and red tides. Those factors combined with the extensive loss of mangrove forests in South Florida — a critical habitat for juvenile grouper — result in an environment insufficient to support a fishery.
“These are a few reasons why goliath grouper in Florida is not a suitable fishery species,” said Chris Koenig, a research associate at the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory. “Adult goliath grouper carry heavy loads of mercury in their muscles at levels known to be toxic to humans and capable of producing irreversible brain damage in young people. Basically, they are unsafe for human consumption.”
Koenig co-authored the paper with Coastal and Marine Lab Director Felicia Coleman and former graduate student Chris Malinowski.
Koenig and Coleman have been studying the ecology and recovery of goliath grouper for nearly 30 years. With Malinowski, they examined multiple issues affecting goliath grouper productivity to provide the best available scientific information to resource managers faced with making decisions about whether to reopen the fishery.
Grouper, of which there are 163 distinct species, form an important part of reef communities and a major component of marine fisheries worldwide. In 2017, 462,000 tonnes of grouper were landed. However, the Atlantic goliath grouper, a large tropical fish, hasn’t been commercially fished in nearly 30 years. With the goliath grouper facing extinction, federal and state officials intervened in 1990 and passed laws to protect the species by closing the fishery, which allowed a limited, slow population recovery in Florida waters.
Currently, federal and state agencies are debating re-establishing the fishery, but scientists have found that they may pose health risks and other issues.
Goliath grouper off the coasts of Florida have the highest known concentrations of liver and muscle mercury of any commercially important shallow-water grouper species in Florida. They also are among the highest for mercury content of any commercial fish species monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
About 96 percent of goliath grouper exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s risk level for human consumption of 0.3 micrograms per gram wet weight of total mercury. Some fish reach 25 times this amount.
The authors also suspect that high mercury levels are killing the older fish, limiting reproduction by harming the developing eggs and larvae, and making them more susceptible to disease.
They note, however, that despite the health risk to humans of consuming goliath grouper, that this species does have commercial value to the dive industry — an important contributor to Florida’s economy.
These gentle giants grow to 7.5-feet-long and form spawning groups of up to 100 individuals. This makes them very attractive to divers seeking to add to their life’s list of observed fishes and a valuable addition to the state’s ecotourism industry.
“The economic value of this fish to Florida is far greater on the fin, if you will, than it is on a plate, where it is a significant threat to human health resulting from enormously high mercury levels,” Coleman said.
I don't want to eat them, but give me a tag or two so I can take a few of those VWs out and hopefully have easier access to game / reef fish [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]
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Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. ~Chuck Clark
Srbenda wrote:Reopening this fish for harvest seems like a bad idea.
Adult goliath grouper carry heavy loads of mercury in their muscles at levels known to be toxic to humans and capable of producing irreversible brain damage in young people. Basically, they are unsafe for human consumption.”
I agree with FishwithChris. A limited number of tags to reduce the stock would be helpful,just don’t want to see a slaughter or see any commercial sales r.e On the menus.
... officials intervened in 1990 and passed laws to protect the species by closing the fishery, which allowed a limited, slow population recovery in Florida waters... The authors also suspect that high mercury levels are killing the older fish, limiting reproduction by harming the developing eggs and larvae, and making them more susceptible to disease.
Made it to these two comments before couldn't read any further due to the BS factor ... spots I visit 20' and deeper are LOADED with BIG adult ones that don't seem the least bit harmed by whatever mercury level they might have in their tissue...never seen even a SINGLE big one floating... instead they just seem to be even more massively huge the next time I see them. And on the mercury note, few years ago studies also were published that showed mercury levels were quite dependent on precise location for fish that reside in single spots / don't migrate huge distances. Concentrations of mercury vary quite a bit depending on location in Florida waters.
And saying it's a bad idea doesn't speak at all to controlling numbers to reasonable / measured levels to protect OTHER species. Sure the authors meant well, but sorry to say that sure reads as a very short-sighted / one-sided commentary.
Not to worry for those who want to see them protected... if a season opens up I'm sure whackos will come out of the woodworks just as they did with the highly regulated bear season tried a few years ago.
Almost be worth the political pain of a single season just to see idiots running around wearing giant goliath-grouper costumes.
"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank GOD for the United States Marine Corps." Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945
Buddy of mine spearfished a Goliath-sized Warsaw grouper a few years ago and shared some of the meat with me. The muscle fibers were so spaced out it basically became a piece of rubber tire when cooked. If the Goliath taste like that, I’d rather release them.
ontiltttttt wrote:Buddy of mine spearfished a Goliath-sized Warsaw grouper a few years ago and shared some of the meat with me. The muscle fibers were so spaced out it basically became a piece of rubber tire when cooked. If the Goliath taste like that, I’d rather release them.
Anybody here ever eaten them?
Back in the 60's we caught a lot of them in the Keys. We'd actually target them. I don't recall ever eating them mainly because they were usually full of worms (flukes) but we never had a problem giving them away to people who did eat them.
... spots I visit 20' and deeper are LOADED with BIG adult ones that don't seem the least bit harmed by whatever mercury level they might have in their tissue...never seen even a SINGLE big one floating... instead they just seem to be even more massively huge the next time I see them. And on the mercury note, few years ago studies also were published that showed mercury levels were quite dependent on precise location for fish that reside in single spots / don't migrate huge distances. Concentrations of mercury vary quite a bit depending on location in Florida waters. 
