FWC Staff had originally proposed in 2018 a Juvenile goliath grouper harvest of 100 fish per year for 4 years which is 400 total fish killed. Then they changed it on subsequent presentations to 200 fish per year with no total number of years although one of their presentation slides suggested reevaluating at 3 to 5 years.
Since then we have seen the appearance of spinning fish disease which did impact some goliath groupers, but was much worse for sawfish. The scientists have identified a neurotoxin as the cause but they have no idea what was the triggering event and whether it will happen again.
Additionally, we have seen some incidents of shark predation on Goliaths such as the two examples following:
1.) Six Tiger 🐅 sharks 🦈 consuming a goliath grouper during Jupiter Spawning Aggregation
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/X1Kfc7GuYzNkRfNF/?mibextid=xfxF2i
2.) One of the female tiger sharks we have been tracking for years who regularly visits Jupiter named DJenny is here in this video eating a goliath grouper on the surface who has a bloated belly probably from failure of a fisherman to vent him or her or properly descend the goliath after catching. The group of tigers probably came across the goliath and started to eat him or her as he or she was helpless on the surface.
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https://youtu.be/l1QbiZz8Skg?si=-ZNAxUC3fqxbVwc0
We need much more independent scientific research to be funded by FWC and the FEDS investigating what is actually happening at the adult goliath grouper spawning sites around the state. At the Palm Beach County sites, divers have reported significant declines in numbers of spawning aggregation fish.The positive impact on this indigenous fish on the environment needs to be proven better to fishermen who believe goliaths are almost like an invasive species stealing their fishing catches.
We need to look into the scientific aquaculture cultivation of goliath grouper eggs to grow into juvenile marine animals to help them return to their historical geographic range.
We need to better understand the movements between natural and artificial spawning locations. For example, the scientific record fish I caught in the video called Big Bertha actually did her spawning runs to the near surface as determined by accelerometer internal tags several miles away at a natural reef spawning site from where I caught her at the MG111 Barge artificial wreck.
If you feel inclined, you can buy a juvenile take tag starting October 1, 2024 as suggested by Commissioner Gary Nicklaus in the video below.
Please read the previous petition and watch the following video to learn more.
OUR GOLIATH WISDOM Extended Preview
https://youtu.be/7038napqqAQ?feature=shared
Thank you, Tony Grogan
Ocean Researcher and Filmmaker
North Palm Beach, Florida USA