[Coral-List] Proposed Killing of Goliath Grouper (Eugene Shinn) (Ault, Jerald Stephen) (Sarah Frias-Torres)

[William Precht]

It should be noted that the comment by Jerry Ault about GG being worth more
in the wild than mounted on someone’s wall is taken from the experience
with catch and release fisheries such as Tarpon and Bonefish.  That lesson
came from groups like Trout Unlimited showing the value of trout in a river
are far more valuable economically than in someone’s frying pan or a trophy
mounted on someone’s wall.

This is a rule set up by FWC for Sportsman - not as a sellable fish for
restaurants.   Yes, there are places in the Caribbean where these fish are
caught, sold, bought, and eaten.  But the FWC rules change are only for GG
found in Florida waters. These are 200 GG that could be caught by these
same sportsman, photographed and released to live another day.

Another sad day for conservation in Florida.

As Jerry noted “there is no justification” for killing these gentle giants.

B

On Tue, Sep 28, 2021 at 8:49 AM Elizabeth Janz via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

>    Looking at the FWC Memorandum, they are proposing reopening the Goliath
>    Grouper fishery that was shut in 1990. The justification of this being
>    that the population has reached a level where removing a maximum of 200
>    individuals with a minimum length of 20" and a maximum length of 36"
>    from the population would not adversely affect the continued rebuilding
>    of the population.  While they are removing potential future breeding
>    stock (I assume that 36" is a juvenile length), they are not allowing
>    the removal of the large fecund females that can replenish those
>    taken.  Additionally, the use of hook and line as the only allowable
>    gear ensures limiting bycatch.
>
>
>    Jerry brings up an interesting point that perhaps catching and selling
>    goliath grouper at a fish market would not be as profitable as seeing a
>    live one in the wild which is a similar argument made for reducing
>    takes of marine mammals in the United States. However there are
>    cultures around the world that do eat marine mammals and use their
>    parts for supplements, oil, and crafts.  Perhaps there is a market for
>    these fishes as well.
>
>
>    Elizabeth Janz
>
>    Master's Candidate | December 2021
>
>    Fisheries Management & Conservation
>
>    University of Miami, RSMAS
>
>
>    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>    Message: 1
>
>    Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2021 13:26:28 -0400
>
>    From: Eugene Shinn <eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
>
>    To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
>    Subject: [Coral-List] 2. Proposed Killing of Goliath Grouper (Sarah
>
>          Frias-Torres)
>
>    Message-ID: <76e2e508-51e8-c34d-68aa-b4b680891c56 at mail.usf.edu>
>
>    Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
>
>
>    Does anyone know of any justification for taking Goliath Grouper? I
>    know
>
>    they eat Florida Lobster but that is all I can think of. Gene
>
>
>    ------------------------------
>
>
>    Message: 4
>
>    Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2021 18:20:10 +0000
>
>    From: "Ault, Jerald Stephen" <jault at rsmas.miami.edu>
>
>    To: Eugene Shinn <eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
>
>    Cc: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
>
>    Subject: Re: [Coral-List] 2. Proposed Killing of Goliath Grouper
>
>          (Sarah     Frias-Torres)
>
>    Message-ID: <38251014-B6BC-404A-AEF0-06D874B7F1AC at rsmas.miami.edu>
>
>    Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
>
>    Gene, There is NO justification. This is sheer stupidity. Those
>    beautiful animals are worth more left in the water in both ecological
>    and economic terms. Jerry
>
>
>    Sent from Dr. Jerry Ault's iPhone
>
>    305-546-3223
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
-- 
William F. Precht

 “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice
you have”

Bob Marley


"Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't
have the strength."

Theodore Roosevelt