Marine Species ID

Set 2: Grouper and Corals

General Info on Regulations
 State vs. Federal Waters
◦ State waters in the GOM go out 9 nautical miles
from shore
◦ State waters in the Atlantic go out 3 nautical miles
from shore

 Regulations typically in place to sustain

breeding population
Measuring Fish
 Total Length vs. Fork Length
Aggregate Bag Limit
 Gulf: 4 per person
 Atlantic 3 per person
Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara)
Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara)
Fishing
 Listed as “Critically
Endangered” on the IUCN Red
List
 Catch has been prohibited
since 1990

About the Fish

 Largest of Grouper species (up
to 8 feet and 800 pounds!)
 Head and fins covered in black
spots, dark irregular bars
along body
 Spawns in summer
 Can live 30-50 years
 Feeds on crustaceans and fish
Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis)
Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis)
Fishing
 Minimum size: 24”
 Atlantic:
◦ Open May 1- Oct 22
◦ Up to 1 per person (Gag or Black)
 Gulf:
◦ Open Sept 1-Oct 18
◦ Up to 2 per person
 Aggressive striker
About the Fish
 Common to 25 lbs.
 Anal and caudal fin have white
margin
 Variety of depths
 Commonly dwell in holes
 Protogynous hermaphrodite:
female to male
Black Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci)
Black Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci)
Fishing
 Minimum size: 24”
 Atlantic:
◦ Open May 1- Dec. 31
◦ Up to 1 per person (Gag or Black)
 Gulf:
◦ State: Open Year round
◦ Federal: Variable
◦ Up to 4 per person
 May be best caught drifting to
get the big fish away from the
hole
About the Fish
 Common to 40 pounds
 Offshore, deeper water
 Protogynous hermaphrodite:
female to male
Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
Fishing
 Listed as “Endangered” on
IUCN Red List
 Catch prohibited
 Populations have decreased by
60% in last 25-30 years

About the Fish

 Common under 10 pounds
 Range limited to South
Florida/Caribbean
 Dark “saddle” on caudal
peduncle
 Large spawning aggregations
have made the Nassau
grouper prone to over-fishing
Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio)
Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio)
Fishing
 Minimum size: 20”
 Atlantic:
◦ Open May 1- Dec. 31
◦ Up to 3 per person
 Gulf:
◦ Open Jan 1-July 20
◦ Up to 2 per person
 BNP Min Size: 24”
 Feeds on squid, crustaceans
and fish
About the Fish
 Bottom Dweller
 Spawns in April and May
 Protogynous hermaphrodite:
female to male
Scamp (Mycteroperca phenax)
Scamp (Mycteroperca phenax)
Fishing
 Atlantic:
◦ Minimum size: 20”
◦ Open May 1- Dec. 31
◦ Up to 3 per person
 Gulf:
◦ Minimum size: 16”
◦ State: Open Year round
◦ Federal: Variable
About the Fish
 Up to 2 feet
 Trailing edges on caudal fin
 Nearshore reefs on Atlantic
side
 Offshore reefs on the Gulf side
 Protogynous hermaphrodite:
female to male
Yellowfin Grouper (Mycteroperca venenosa)
Yellowfin Grouper (Mycteroperca venenosa)
Fishing
 Minimum size: 20”
 Atlantic:
◦ Open May 1- Dec. 31
◦ Up to 3 per person
 Gulf:
◦ State: Open Year round
◦ Federal: Variable
◦ Up to 4 per person
About the Fish
 Common to 20 pounds
 Associated with ciguatera
poisoning
 Protogynous hermaphrodite:
female to male
Yellowmouth Grouper (Mycteroperca interstitialis)
Yellowmouth Grouper (Mycteroperca interstitialis)
Fishing
 Minimum size: 20”
 Atlantic:
◦ Open May 1- Dec. 31
◦ Up to 3 per person
 Gulf:
◦ State: Open Year round
◦ Federal: Open April 1 Jan. 31
◦ Up to 4 per person
About the Fish
 Common to 15 pounds
 No trailing edge on caudal fin
 Juveniles are bicolored: dark
above, light below
 Protogynous hermaphrodite:
female to male
Warsaw Grouper (Hyporthodus nigritus)
Warsaw Grouper (Hyporthodus nigritus)
Fishing
 Listed as “Critically
Endangered” on IUCN Red List
 Atlantic and Gulf
◦ No size limit
◦ 1 per vessel
◦ Open year round
 Federal
◦ Closed
About the Fish
 Up to 6 feet and 580 pounds
 Found on deep rocky ledges
◦ Up to 300-1000 feet deep
 Population decline as a result
of extraction from its deep
habitat
Red Hind Grouper (Epinephelus guttatus)
Red Hind Grouper (Epinephelus guttatus)
Fishing
 No size limit
 Atlantic:
◦ Season Open May 1 – Dec 31
◦ Up to 3 per person
 Gulf
◦ No season
◦ Up to 4 per person

About the Fish

 Up to 2 feet in length
Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis)
Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis)

 Predominately asexual
reproduction
 Sexual reproduction is
through spawning in
August or September
 Population decreasing from
White Band Disease
 “Critically Endangered” on
IUCN Redlist
Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata)
Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata)

 Most important species for

reef building in the
Caribbean
 “Critically Endangered” on
IUCN Redlist
 Population reduction
exceeding 80% in the past
30 years
 Found in shallow, outer reef
slopes
Finger coral (Porites porites)
Finger coral (Porites porites)

 Lives in very shallow waters

 Adaptable species with a
wide range of habitats
 Will extend tentacles to
feed during daytime
(unique for a coral species)