As a scuba diver, I have been enjoying the wonders of the underwater world for the past 13 years. I’m grateful for every opportunity to get into the water and cherish all marine encounters whether large or small. Recently, I had the chance to perform lionfish surveys along with other park biologists and stumbled across not just one, but two goliath groupers on our dive. Since it’s the time of year for these giant fish to spawn, I thought I’d share some information about them. Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) are marine fish that can reach sizes of up to 7 feet long, weighing 600-700 lbs. Their status is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN red list and have been banned from all fishing in the United States since 1990. Juveniles grow up in shallow bays, tidal creeks and mangroves and move offshore around 5 or 6 years of age. Their diet consists of a wide variety of fish and invertebrates (and the occasional invasive lionfish). These curious, slow-moving fish reach maturity in 5-7 years and form large aggregations every fall during their spawning season. Divers travel to south Florida every year to observe this awesome phenomenon.(ANZ) Video credit: NPS Video/Ana Zangroniz
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 13:00:01 +0000
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