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

[David Blakeway]

*"These are 200 GG that could be caught by these same sportsmen,
photographed and released to live another day."*

Exactly right, that's the puzzling thing, why not set this lottery up as a
tag-and-release fishing experience?
Or even better as a guided tour snorkeling experience to see Goliath
Grouper underwater.
Anyway, as Sarah recommends, we can submit comments to FWC by October 1.

On Wed, Sep 29, 2021 at 1:11 PM William Precht via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> 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
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