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They are easily found around reefs and wrecks and conquered by anglers and divers especially. The number of goliaths plummets to the point of near collapse. In 1990, Florida banned all harvest, which is still in effect. In the 23 years since, goliaths have


made a significant comeback — so much that many anglers now feel the ban should be lifted. Scientists and managers aren’t sure, but the answer to this question may be resolved soon. Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conser vation


They range in warm waters through- They are extremely


vulnerable to anglers and to divers using


powerhead spearguns, a predicament that contributed to their previous decline.


out Florida and the Caribbean, where they are also protected in Belize, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. A pop- ulation off the west coast of Africa is believed to have been fished out. Juvenile goliaths hide among man- grove roots, but once they get older they gravitate to higher relief structure like natural rock formations, ledges and caves. “They’re very fond of anywhere they can tuck in and get cover, including


Commission (FWC) will address goliath grouper status and management op - tions this spring.


VULNERABLE There are several factors that make


these fish susceptible to over-harvest, according to Angela Collins, an assis- tant research scientist with the Florida Wildlife Research Institute. Collins, who has been studying the species since 2007, says goliaths can live for decades. Otolith, or ear bone, rings confirmed one fish at 37 years and they’re believed to live 50 years or even


TIDE


longer. They are among the largest members of the grouper family, reach- ing lengths of up to 8 feet and weigh- ing 800 pounds. The International Game Fish Association All-Tackle world record was 680 pounds, set in 1961 off Fernandina Beach, Florida. Goliaths reach sexual maturity between five and seven years old, when they are about 3 feet in length. “That’s one of the characteristics


that make them so vulnerable to over- fishing,” Collins explains. “Males may mature a little earlier, but overall it’s relatively late for a fish.”


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artificial reefs, docks and bridge pil- ings,” Collins says. Acoustic telemetry tags and hydro-


phonic monitoring at certain artificial reefs has shown that goliaths often stay in the same places for long periods of time. One tagged fish traveled 100 miles before returning to the original tagging site. They do cover long dis- tances to spawn, however, at spots typ- ically of 100-foot depths or more. “Goliaths aggregate predictably


every year to spawn at sites that are easy to find, especially with today’s bottom machines,” Collins says. They


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