Goliath grouper reef vacuums!

OUTTA LINE

Does any body know if there is any thing in the works for a season or tag program for goliath groupers aka jew fish? I am sure they are far from endangered and eating up every thing on the wrecks.

Got TA Go

OUTTA LINE wrote: »

Does any body know if there is any thing in the works for a season or tag program for goliath groupers aka jew fish? I am sure they are far from endangered and eating up every thing on the wrecks.

At the SAFMC mtg in Key West, there was discussion about moving forward with taking them off endangered status and looking to start doing studies on a limited "take". I would expect that this will be off in the distant future as there are more important things going on.

FWIW...They are not eating up everything on the wrecks. They don't have the capability (speed) to chase down all the species that anglers complain they are "wiping-out" from the reefs/wrecks. They do take the ones you have on your line, but it's only because you have slowed it or stopped it, thereby making it so that a slow GG can get it.

:cool:

Rob

lemaymiami

There's been lots and lots of threads on this topic (most, unfortunatley lost to us after the recent crash). Here's a thread that was recent enough that it missed the wipeout... http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?1315-Fishermen-unhappy-as-giant-grouper-makes-comeback!

The real difficulty in doing anything about goliaths is that they're protected both under state and FEDERAL rules. The state will do the research and make reasonable recommendations. The feds on the other hand will act emotionally since most on that end of the regulation business aren't exactly sympathetic to angling, period. Of course, that's just my opinion (and I hope many reach the same conclusion...).

2012, it just can't come soon enough!

duckmanJR

Like anything....sensible bag limit with realistic science based slot size limit and they will be fine.

Key Lime

I would like to see a limited take allowed, with a tiered fee. Maybe a $100 tag for a 50-100lb jewfish, $200 for a 101-200lb'er, etc. Limited number of tags allowed per licensed angler. Tahs for Gators seem to work pretty well. I'm sure that Lemay and others who see them regularly could help to refine the plan; I don't bump into them so often. The no-take is becoming absurd, but I'm certain that if we simply opened it up, we'd decimate the stocks in no time at all. Would like to hear more thoughts on this, as I wouldn't mind paying to catch one.

Got TA Go

Key Lime wrote: »

The no-take is becoming absurd, but I'm certain that if we simply opened it up, we'd decimate the stocks in no time at all. Would like to hear more thoughts on this, as I wouldn't mind paying to catch one.

They are pretty easy to target, which is what would make a wide open "take" of them hard for me to support. I'm pretty sure if you want to go out and "catch" one, you can probably get some reliable info without having to "pay".

Rob

Doug

Got TA Go wrote: »

At the SAFMC mtg in Key West, there was discussion about moving forward with taking them off endangered status and looking to start doing studies on a limited "take". I would expect that this will be off in the distant future as there are more important things going on.

FWIW...They are not eating up everything on the wrecks. They don't have the capability (speed) to chase down all the species that anglers complain they are "wiping-out" from the reefs/wrecks. They do take the ones you have on your line, but it's only because you have slowed it or stopped it, thereby making it so that a slow GG can get it.

:cool:

Rob

I know for a fact that they can catch Grouper and Mangos without being on a line seen it on many videos on Jewfish yeah I said it

lonesouth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y27LSPcbeB4

I understand that it was on a line...but it wasn't exactly slow either...

nick

Doubt they ever get anything settled on bag/tag limits so...What about wrapping a good size bonita in about 500 treble hooks. Feed him his last meal

Key Lime

Got TA Go wrote: »

They are pretty easy to target, which is what would make a wide open "take" of them hard for me to support. I'm pretty sure if you want to go out and "catch" one, you can probably get some reliable info without having to "pay".

Rob

Rob, I'm definitely NOT supporting open take on GGs. And when I said that I'd pay to catch, I should have said "Keep". I can drop a bait at a bunch of spots and count on hooking a GG. Just wouldn't mind buying a tag for a keeper, if the money went for fisheries research, etc.

GT Fish

Spearing them is way to easy..

Got TA Go

Doug wrote: »

I know for a fact that they can catch Grouper and Mangos without being on a line seen it on many videos on Jewfish yeah I said it

I'd like to see the video if you hvae a link. In a "research" take, they caught and opened up some Jewfish (GGs) down here. The stomach contents were primarily Lobster and Crabs with a few fish small fish species.

Rob

surfman

There is no way a goliath can run down any free swimming grouper or snapper, no way, unless the target fish is sick or injured. Those fish will swim circles around his head while he chases them. They mainly feed at night because they are stealth feeders, lie in wait. I am sure that occasionally they get a grouper or snapper but most of the time they feed on crustaceans and lobster at night is probably their main diet. Of course man has changed all that with hooked fish that become easy prey, and no one likes having their catch stolen. I would support a limited take on goliaths, for sure. They are great eating.

Got TA Go

lonesouth wrote: »

I understand that it was on a line...but it wasn't exactly slow either...

Small shark like that, held in a 6' radius circle...Advantage: GG

Even with the advatage the GG had....How many times did the shark get away? And that was while being held at the surface, hooked, leaning to one side. That GG would have no chance at catching that shark in open water. And that is/was a small, "faster" GG.

Rob

remy

We were out yesterday & couldn't get away from hooking Goliaths. Water depth= 20' to 50' At on time we had three on at the same time. They definatly have an effect on the fishing of all other species.
I seriously doubt that a season of any kind would ever be opened?

Frisbee

When will fishermen start bangsticking everyone they can pull to the surface, and then letting it sink?