Appearance
Young Atlantic goliath grouper may live in brackish estuaries, oyster beds, canals, and mangrove swamps, which is unusual behavior among groupers.They may reach extremely large sizes, growing to lengths up to 2.5 m and can weigh as much as 360 kg. The world record for a hook-and-line-captured specimen is 308.44 kg, caught off Fernandina Beach, Florida, in 1961. They are usually around 180 kg when mature. Considered of fine food quality, Atlantic goliath grouper were a highly sought-after quarry for fishermen. It is a relatively easy prey for spear fishermen because of the grouper's inquisitive and generally fearless nature. They also tend to spawn in large aggregations, returning annually to the same locations. This makes them particularly vulnerable to mass harvesting while breeding.
Until a harvest ban was placed on the species, its population was in rapid decline. The fish is entirely protected from harvest and is recognized as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN. The US began protection in 1990, and the Caribbean in 1993. The species' population has been recovering since the ban; with the fish's slow growth rate, however, some time will be needed for populations to return to their previous levels.
Goliath groupers eat crustaceans, other fish, octopuses, young sea turtles, sharks, and barracudas. They are known to attack divers, and have even been seen attacking large lemon sharks.
Naming
The Atlantic goliath grouper has historically been referred to as the "jewfish". The name's origin is unclear, and may have referred to the flesh having a "clean" taste comparable to kosher food; it has also been suggested that this name is simply a corruption of "jawfish". In 2001, the American Fisheries Society stopped using the term because of concerns that it was culturally insensitive.Reproduction
Goliath groupers are believed to be protogynous hermaphrodites, which refer to organisms that are born female and at some point in their lifespans change sex to male. Most grouper follow this pattern, but this has not yet been verified for the goliath. Males can be sexually mature at about 115 centimetres, and ages 4–6 years. Females mature around 125 centimetres, and about 6–8 years.References:
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