Reefs with large numbers of predators, like Atlantic goliath groupers, are known to be healthier than reefs with no predators, so this species may represent an important part of the reef food web. ... These groups are known as spawning aggregations, and they form at relatively few places throughout the species' range.

How big can a Goliath grouper get?

Goliath grouper is the largest of the Atlantic groupers. This giant can reach 800 pounds (455 kg) and over 8 feet (2 meters) in length.

Can a giant grouper eat a human?

Goliath groupers may sound intimidating—and for most fish, they are! But humans have little to fear from these creatures. In fact, many people familiar with them call the fish “gentle giants.” It's still smart to stay away from fully grown goliath groupers. They could eat a person if they wanted to!

Why can't you eat a Goliath grouper?

Florida made it illegal to keep Goliath grouper in 1990, and the species was listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered in 1994. The species crashed in numbers due to several factors: they're a long-living, slow-maturing fish that often congregates in groups.

Has a Goliath grouper ever killed a human?

For example, The New York Times reported in 1895 that a fisherman caught a 1,500-pound Goliath grouper in the Gulf of Mexico. In the 1950s, two children jumped off a bridge in the Florida Keys but only one came up; the other child was said to have been eaten by a Goliath grouper.

Top 5 Largest Goliath Groupers Caught

15 related questions found

Do grouper eat sharks?

Groupers also eat other species including parrotfishes and stingrays, young sea turtles and octopuses. Large groupers may feast on barracudas and sharks.

Why is a jewfish called a jewfish?

The origin of the fish's name isn't clear. The most innocent view traces to a book authored by an English adventurer in 1697; he wrote that the jewfish was a kosher creature favored by Jews in Jamaica. But the more likely theory is that the name traces back even further to medieval anti-Semitism in Europe.

Why is grouper so expensive?

Because the supply of domestic grouper is limited and the demand great, it is typically a more expensive fish to purchase than others. Wholesale fillet values are generally between $11 to $13 per pound, which means retail value, what consumers pay, is typically even higher.

What is the biggest goliath grouper ever caught?

The heaviest grouper ever caught and certified as an IGFA world record was this 680-pound goliath grouper caught on May 20, 1961, off Fernandina Beach, Florida, using a Spanish mackerel as fishing bait. This particular species of grouper is considered endangered today and protected in the United States and Caribbean.

Do Goliath groupers taste good?

As with other varieties of grouper, the Goliath grouper has a mild taste with a slightly sweet underlying flavor. It has been described as not having a very fishy taste and it falls somewhere between the flavor of a seabass and a halibut.

Are Goliath groupers friendly?

Meet the Goliath Grouper

Groupers are generally a friendly species and can be found patrolling artificial and coral reefs alike, primarily in shallow tropical waters.

Are groupers aggressive?

This is a very large fish.

Goliath groupers have been known to weigh up to 800 pounds. ... While goliath groupers really aren't any danger to humans, they will pretty much take what ever they want, like that fat bully that shoves kids into lockers and takes their money, then goes home and cries because he's lonely.

Why are Goliath groupers protected?

They have been protected in state and federal waters since 1990, when they were deemed to be overfished. The Atlantic goliath grouper can reach 800 pounds and be over 8 feet long, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

How much is a goliath grouper worth?

A 20-36-inch goliath grouper probably weighs 12-25 pounds, meaning an angler would be in for about $40 per pound to harvest one. At that price, it makes a lot more sense to catch one's grouper fillets at a seafood market.

What is the largest grouper?

The goliath grouper is the largest grouper in the western Atlantic. Growing to lengths of 8.2 feet (2.5 m), this grouper can weigh as much as 800 pounds (363 kg). In Florida, the largest hook and line captured specimen weighed 680 pounds (309 kg).

How much does a goliath grouper cost?

Price: $500 – $1500.

What is the world record bluegill?

The Biggest Bluegill in the World

The world record bluegill recorded by IGFA or the International Gamefish Association was caught in 1950 at Ketona Lake, Alabama. This bluegill weighed in at a whopping 4 pounds 12 ounces and came in at 15 inches long with an astounding girth of 18-¼ inches.

Can you keep and eat a goliath grouper?

Goliath Grouper is Perfectly Edible – But It's Forbidden to Do So in Most of the Areas. ... According to the old-timers who've caught goliath grouper before the ban was placed, it's a fine-tasting fish comparable to other fish in the grouper family in taste, though the meat may be a little course.

Are grouper good to eat?

This type of fish has a very mild flavor (somewhere in between seabass and halibut) with a light, sweet taste and large, chunky flakes, almost like lobster or crab. Thanks to its subtle flavor that easily absorbs dressings and marinades, grouper is excellent however you serve it.

Why should you avoid grouper?

Grouper

Grouper is on the list when it comes to fish you should never eat due to its moderately high mercury levels. This species is also highly vulnerable to overfishing.

What's the most expensive fish to eat?

The 5 Most Expensive Fish

• Bluefin Tuna. This controversial food, no doubt one of the most expensive fish you can buy, is well-known for its popularity in the sushi culture and with Japanese foodies. ...
• Puffer Fish (Fugu) ...
• Swordfish. ...
• Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) ...
• Wild King Salmon.

What's the cleanest fish to eat?

From a nutritional standpoint, salmon is the clear winner of the healthiest fish competition. "Fattier fish from cold water are a better source of omega-3s" than other sources, Camire said, and salmon is king when it comes to the number of grams of omega-3s per ounce.

Is a Warsaw grouper the same as a goliath grouper?

Warsaws are usually darker grey while goliaths are yellowish-green. Warsaws have a straight tail, while a goliath's is more rounded. Warsaw are typically found much deeper (400-plus feet) than the 50-60 feet of water the men were fishing.

What is the biggest jewfish ever caught?

A MASSIVE 47.5kg jewfish – that's 104.5lbs in the old scale – was caught in the Shoalhaven River on the NSW South Coast on Sunday. Keen angler Vaughan Little, from Culburra Beach, hooked the beast jewie on a 100mm black and gold Squidgy Fish.

Is goliath grouper kosher?

Jewfish are gargantuan groupers. They have flaky filets. They have fins and scales. They're kosher.