The Goliath Grouper - big enough to eat an angler
October 17th, 2006 by admin
Many of Florida’s most amazing animals can be found in the waters off our shores. An article in Sunday’s Miami Herald profiled the goliath grouper, Florida’s largest fish.
According to the paper, the goliath grouper “commonly grows larger than a refrigerator.” They are known not only for their size, but also for being slow and gentle; they are a favorite of divers, who love to swim with them.
Have you ever seen a goliath grouper swim? The Herald’s website features wonderful underwater footage of goliath groupers. Click here to view the video.
Goliath groupers were almost extinct a few years ago, and it has been illegal to kill them since 1990. Not surprisingly, fishing groups and guides have begun lobbying federal fishery managers for permission to kill them again (hunters and fishermen can’t stand it that some animals are safe from their bullets, arrows, hooks and spears). ARFF will keep an eye on this issue, and let you know if goliath grouper protections become in danger of being relaxed.