WE NEED TO ACT NOW

What’s it worth to you to see BIG FISH on the reef? While many of us will be glued to the set watching Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting will gear up in St. Pete, Florida, August 6, 2007 focusing on yet another large reef predator, the goliath grouper.

This meeting will determine the feasibility of permitting a select group of fishermen to kill 800 adult size goliath groupers in Florida waters. Some of you might say “so what?†Others (hopefully) will respond with “How can the State of Florida do that?†Goliath grouper (Epinephelus striatus) are still Federally protected - since 1990!

Obviously they think they can do that, largely due to pressure from Florida’s fishing community. This small group, in general, consider themselves the primarily user and therefore should be granted the most rights to these waters. NOT.

The tabled discussion will focus on a “research proposalâ€, backed by the Cooperative Goliath Grouper Research Program (CGGRP). This so called “research†is to be conducted with the assistance of commercial and/or recreational fishers (e.g. for the collection of specimens). Their intent is to obtain “biological samples†(otoliths, gonad tissue, etc.) collected through a “limited harvest program†– that program would be the 800 adult breeding sized fish. “The research would be used to augment information on goliath grouper age, growth, and reproduction, as well as supplement ongoing studies on feeding habits,†according to the proposal. For those fishers participating in the program, the FWC would supposedly issue 800 numbered, plastic “harvest tags.â€

Another point in the proposal not covered was how the collected goliath grouper specimens will be handled or delivered to scientists facilitating this “research†with the CGGRP. On closer examination, seeing no plan had even been worked out, one might conclude that this collection plan is nothing more than a loophole to allow commercial fishermen the rights to kill 800 ever-so-important goliaths under the guise of science.

Everyone I have interviewed in the scientific community (most from Florida State University and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service) connected to goliath grouper studies see this program as “nothing more than an appeasement to specific fishing groups.†And, the notion of the FWC even entertaining this “research†is a really, bad idea.

It has taken the goliath grouper 16 years to make a positive return to Florida waters. Furthermore, concerned scientists see these fish as being anything but out of the woods. Especially when you consider that this species of grouper, under the World Conservation Union (IUCN) (http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/7857/summ) is listed as “critically endangered†throughout its range in the rest of the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean.

At the rate these fish are being hunted in Latin America and the Caribbean waters, two to three years from now, Florida will be the only place left to find them and see them. Provided we learn the right form of protective management.

As a member of our underwater community for years, I’ve been concerned about this fish since 1990, when they were put into protection. I’ve addressed the plight of our ocean’s great fish in Underwater Journal. Big Fish, Going, Going, Gone? (Issue 2) and Uncertain Future (Issue 3). Please join me and take action (I’m going to this meeting). Time is running out. Voice your comments to the following:

Luiz Barbieri (email: Luiz.Barbieri@myfwc.com)

Researcher

Department for Marine Fisheries Research

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

St. Petersburg, FL

Alex Chester (email: Alex.Chester@noaa.gov),

Science and Research Director

Southeast Fisheries Science Center

75 Virginia Beach Drive

Miami, Florida 33149

I am a bit disappointed by the response, or lack of, from everyone here in the underwater photography community.

You would think as divers with a passion for capturing images of the ocean’s wondrous creatures we would get off the F#%&ing couch, and get a little more involved at trying to preserve what’s out there!

O.K. goliath groupers are not as sexy as sharks, dolphins or whales, but they are an apex predator none-the-less. Florida has them, and before long, considering the way they are being fished out throughout the rest of the Tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, Florida maybe the only place you will find them. Unless of course the guys with the hooks and the guns (if they had it they’re way) would like to get them all, just like they nearly did during the 1980’s before the Federal Government had to step in.

The pressure to go after them is mounting, with various groups trying to create bogus reasons to go after them as they are attempting to do at this up coming meeting in St. Pete, Florida August 6th. The clock is ticking.

Hi Walt,

Maybe try setting something up here http://www.thepetitionsite.com/ or provide a generic email for people to copy, paste and send.

Also, at the moment the problems in the Galapagos might be higher on peoples anger list.

Having met some divers from Florida in the past who when they were back home loved nothing better than to

'spear so many lobster and fish that we had to give them away to all our friends, even the ones that didn't want any' , but shout abuse at a poor local fisherman catching fish for his kids when on their foreign trip.

I guess some Floridian divers see the waters of their back yard as a larder rather than a divesite with cool critters, which is a great shame.

If you setup a petition and ask a mod here, or maybe Jason at divephotoguide they might be able to help. And then it should propagate through all the forums.

Walt,

It gets to the point that after a while there is some fatigue associated with all of this. If I were to act upon every e-mail I get that asks for support against someone or some group or some government screwing up the environment, I'd have two more full time jobs. Maybe if we were still allowed to call them Jewfish, there'd be more of an outcry -- a lot of political capital sunk into that little battle . . .

Mike

PS I meant no disrespect to anyone by the Jewfish comment, just trying to point out that people's priorities are often unpredictable and ever shifting . . .

Walt,

 

It gets to the point that after a while there is some fatigue associated with all of this. If I were to act upon every e-mail I get that asks for support against someone or some group or some government screwing up the environment, I'd have two more full time jobs. Maybe if we were still allowed to call them Jewfish, there'd be more of an outcry -- a lot of political capital sunk into that little battle . . .

 

Mike

 

PS I meant no disrespect to anyone by the Jewfish comment, just trying to point out that people's priorities are often unpredictable and ever shifting . . .

Didnt the jewfish go extinct a few years ago?

Walt,

I would suggest you set up a form letter that folks can send. Even better, set up a page where folks can just enter their email and hit send. Of course the entire coummunity supports you actions. The challenge is that every day more causes arrise and some of these important causes get lost in the noise.

I would also like to reiterate a concern about Florida diving. Almost without exception, whenever I have dived on a local Florida boat, at least half the divers are there to kill something. It is a real shame that so many divers appear to view their back yard as a hunting ground. As a result, large fish populations have been decimated over the years.

Anyway, can you post a letter or form and we'll see about drawing more attention to it?

Shawn

I really appreciate Walt bringing this up, and am happy he'll be representing the dive industry and underwater photo community at this meeting on Monday.

There are two boats in Boynton Beach, FL, that don't allow spearfishing. They are Explorer (www.diveboyntonbeach.com) and Splashdown (www.splashdowndivers.com). They also just happen to dive on the best reefs I've found down here. I choose to give these two boats my business wherever possible.

Hi Walt,

Sorry I let this one slide by without responding.

In the last 10 days I have dived the M/V Castor, Capt. Tony and Bud Bar all south of Boynton inlet in P.B. county. I found these fish on all three sites with over twenty on the M/V Castor coming into the height of their season.

Having lived and dived for over 38 years in Palm Beach County I can attest to the decline of these great fish as the result of divers with bang sticks and commercial fisherman in the 70's. It is clear that our arfiticial reef program has helped to provide habitat for these wonderful fish and aided in helping them back from the brink.

This is by no means a local issue and merits global support.

Please allow me to extend any help that SFUPS might be able to provide in regard to this issue.

Regards,

Phil Rudin

SFUPS President

Hi Phil,

It’s nice to know there are a few fish still there on those three wrecks. It would be great to know many where on each of these wrecks. S Right now, they are gearing up for their spawning season. I was our on the Zion Train/Esso Bonaire wrecks last Thursday and count between 48 and 50 fish. The Bonaire, MG-111, Hole-in-the-wall, and Caster are the only four sites believed to spawning aggregation sites on Florida’s east coast. The picture is quite a bit different down south of Boynton Beach where number of fish according dive operators like South Florida Diving Headquarters in Pompano Beach hover around half a dozen total.

In my latest editorial in issue 4 of the Underwater Journal, I have caught a little bit of heat over it. But that comes with the territory when you to take a stance on something where emotions are rising on all sides.

One of which took place of on Scubaboard - http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=198443

One took exceptional issue my explanation of “historical range†in regards to NMFS’s taking goliath grouper of the list of “species of concern.†O.K. So I said Florida, not the Continental US.

Applies to only Florida, Not the rest of their former range in the tropical Atlantic, which stretches from the Gulf of Mexico down to Brazil and on across the Caribbean. Within the scope of this wider range, the goliaths are in serious trouble, and Florida may be their last refuge. O.K. So I said Florida, not the Continental US.

Florida is the only state in the Continental US that has estuarine waters with mangrove habitats - an essential component for this species juvenile development. If it where not for Florida, this fish most likely would not be present in Alabama and Texas waters in the Gulf or for that matter along the Georgia, South and North Carolina coast. Which by the way, as stated on page 11 of NMFS’s status report on goliath grouper: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdf/Fin...th_Grouper.pdf

“While goliath grouper was found in the Atlantic Ocean northward to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, based on historical catch data and anecdotal observations, specimens north of Florida likely represent the historical fringe of the goliath grouper distribution in the Atlantic (SAFMC, 1998). Historical accounts of divers and spearfishermen in the 1970s and 1980s reflect this apparent difference in density between the west Florida shelf and the Atlantic, especially off North Carolina. Divers first exploring newly discovered wrecks off North Carolina in the early 1980s would typically see only one specimen on a wreck, and the presence/absence of goliath grouper was spotty and inconsistent amongst wreck sites (M. Barnette, NMFS, pers. comm.).â€

Now I ask, was I that I that incorrect?

Right now, as we speak, researchers, managers and conservationists from various corners of Latin America, Caribbean and US are gearing up for the 1st International Goliath Grouper Symposium (http://www.gcfi.org/Conferences/60th/GoliathGrouper.html organized by the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. The purpose of the symposium, which will take place this November 6, 2007, down in Dominican Republic, is to address this Species rapidly increasing downward spiral throughout its “historical rangeâ€, that being everywhere outside the Continental US.

As a diver, I take issue with knee-jerk reactionaries who point their finger at the fish because they rather believe they are the primary cause for all the lobster, grouper and snapper declines we have been witnessing (even before the goliaths started coming back) in Florida waters year after year. Yes, they are a large predator, and large predators do eat, but they are nothing compared to us at extracting resources (fish, sharks, lobster, crab, etc.) from the ocean. We are dam good at it!

The reality is, we live in an era where most of what we see, especially the big fish, are such easy targets, that it seems that all we can do is watch them disappear before our eyes all over the world. As verified in the report delivered by fisheries biologist Ransom Myers and Boris Worm, working from Dalhousie University in Canada and the University of Kiel in Germany, sighting “the sustainability of fisheries is being severely compromised worldwide. Since 1950, we have rapidly reduced the resource base to less than 10 percent – not just in some areas, not just in some stocks, but for entire communities of these large fish species.â€

I have met the enemy, and he is Us!

The important thing is, people need to do more than commit to a little bit of chatter on the issue, they need to look deeper into it, ask questions and hopefully take action.

Which some apparently are doing right now over on DivePhotoGuide: http://www.divephotoguide.com/goliath-grouper.php

Below is an image of a filet carcass of a large goliath grouper found on the shoreline outside Miami. Evidence that in spite of their protection, they are still commonly poached is south Florida waters.

Walt,

Last year in October I had a chance to dive the Caster with one other diver to try to get an accurate count of the numbers of fish at that time and we found thirty-three. This year the fish already appear to be larger and we are for the first time seeing those fish with the lighter body color.

The other two sites remain about the same with two to four smaller year round resident fish.

May I contact you about making this an issue for Florida Dive Show coming Dec 1&2 in Broward?

Phil

tropicalone@bellsouth.net

Walt,

 

Last year in October I had a chance to dive the Caster with one other diver to try to get an accurate count of the numbers of fish at that time and we found thirty-three. This year the fish already appear to be larger and we are for the first time seeing those fish with the lighter body color.

 

The other two sites remain about the same with two to four smaller year round resident fish.

 

May I contact you about making this an issue for Florida Dive Show coming Dec 1&2 in Broward?

 

Phil

 

tropicalone@bellsouth.net

Yes.

Thank you so much for addressing this important issue Walt and taking a strong stance to help the goliath grouper.

I have to admit, being that I live here right in the middle of the "hotbed" of ravenous "voices" that have been demanding open season on goliath grouper or at least a "lottery" to hunt them for years - well I have gotten more than a little discouraged.

We have done projects in conjunction with REEF/NOAA and the Florida Aquarium, Tampa to survey and raise awareness of these fish.

But after the horrible red tide of '05 that killed way more than 800 adult goliath grouper off Clearwater and St. Pete alone, I frankly felt a false sense of security cause I thought "how could they be asking for open season when almost everyone out on the water in 2005 saw numerous huge goliath grouper specimens floating dead?" I think I even mentioned to someone that the only thing that was good about the massive 2005 red tide was that the goliath grouper would not be taken off the endangered species list since losing so many in such a relatively small prime area of their range.

Boy was I wrong! Fishing and spearfishing groups became even more rabid to fish and shoot the goliath grouper because our other fish stocks off the coast here have still recovered only a fraction since the 2005 red tide. Historically we have always had the largest concentrations of the goliaths as you well know. But the 2005 red tide created a hypoxic/nonoxic condition through the water column and killed almost every underwater living thing in an area of many many square miles off the coast and even past 30 miles offshore here from South Tarpon Springs/Clearwater to Sarasota.

We have noted the goliaths have been among the first fish back to claim the empty wrecks/reefs offshore here but we do not have near the numbers or numbers of large specimens that we had pre-red tide '05. I'm sure FWC knows this, but again the fishing/spearfishing lobbies are really, well lets just say "nasty" (and I'm putting in nicely I think). I don't think people from other places realize how "backward" the thinking can be in areas we all thought to be capable of more constructive action. But the West Coast of Florida here is pretty backward as far as intelligence in conservation - remember this is the same area where the "record" great hammerhead shark was caught with its mouth wide opened and teeth showing for the St Pete Times Newspaper - fisherman in triumphant repose saying regarding the shark how "he" (the shark as a "he and him") was a danger to people, etc. Of course it was quite easy to see in the photograph that the shark was a "she" not a "he" but the St Pete Times published the article stating the shark was a "he" and only corrected its data in a small article later stating the shark was a female with pups.

That just illustrates what we are up against and it is not civilized behavior at all.

Anyway the point I wanted to make Walt is I wanted to thank you so much for being a strong opinion leader on this subject and taking this stand. You being a fine diver, photographer, writer and very important with these groups a "guy" are a great asset in this fight and I commend you.

I have taken renewed action to protect these docile fish and I encourage others to do whatever they can. Doing something, even some small action is always preferable to doing nothing. And yes, shark finning is horrible but we shouldn't be too focused just on protecting sharks as these goliath grouper, the manatee and endangered sea turtles, etc. etc. etc. may need our combined action just as much if not more.

What is neat about the goliath grouper for those who have not "met" one in person is you don't need to go on any organized "feed" or artificially created baiting environment to see and hear them (they make huge "booming" sounds). To see some just go dive areas where they are known to be, as Walt said now off the East Coast are large aggregations of them and returning to our area of Florida on the West Coast are more. Still the one single site where I have seen the most goliath grouper in Florida is the Old Phosphate Dock Boca Grande (and it is a free shore dive too!!); on a fish survey once I counted over 80 individuals in that one small area - and one tiny juvenile goliath grouper hiding also! And once we saved a big goliath grouper from a severed longline, we had to gather the line and quickly wrap it around a piling but I still thought the piling was going to collapse when that huge fish bolted. it was just amazing! But again those big numbers were pre-2005 red-tide event and it is a tough spot to photograph with the sometimes fierce tidal changes, etc.

Hopefully Walt people will familiarize themselves more with these captivating fish and join you in your many efforts here. Please keep us posted, I enjoyed your summary of the Aug meeting. When will the next one be?

Thanks, Carol

Dear Sirs,

It has come to my attention that a plan targeting 800 deaths of federally protected Goliath Grouper, described as a research proposal, is being advanced as a scheme called the Cooperative Goliath Grouper Research Program (CGGRP). This plan has already started presentation in the public hearing at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting that commenced on Aug. 6, 2007 in St. Pete, Florida. A final decision has yet to be stipulated and more meetings are to take place in the coming weeks. I wish to voice my opinion as both a diver and as an environmentally concerned citizen that I strongly protest consideration that would condone the implementation of any aspect of this CGGRP action.

I have familiarized myself with the terms of the CGGRP proposal. It is, in my opinion, derelict in terms of ecology, in economy (the lost revenue from the dive community alone), and in morality. Both the Florida State University scientific community and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service have voiced opposition to this CGGRP plan. Aside from the ecological and economical damage, killing them wouldn't even come close to being

sport: Goliath Groupers, by nature relatively slow moving and docile, are now completely acclimated to the presence of boats and divers in Florida waters since being protected in 1990.

Perhaps proponents of the CGGRP believe this is an original and clever scheme, but a magnified version using "scientific research" to kill endangered marine species has been underway for decades: Japan's disgraceful use of the International Whaling Commission's "scientific research" loophole in order to continue their slaughter of the whales. Such a vile tactic should never gain a foothold in U.S. waters.

In the case of the Goliath Grouper population, still considered critically endangered by the World Conservation Union, the ban created in 1990 exists as one of the few beacons where a species was pulled back from certain extinction. The members of the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife who honor their role of stewardship should take a position to make a public impact in denouncing this kind of irresponsible and deceitful action and not allow its implementation.

Today, with a greater knowledge of the both the ignorant and willful mismanagement of living resources on behalf of vested interests, public attitudes about the health of the oceans are finally changing. People are much more inclined to respect and admire marine species rather than harm them needlessly. With that in mind, I respectfully urge that a threshold be established with the FWC vigorously abandoning this CGGRP proposal.

Sincerely,

Your name

Hi Carol,

I like to thank you for your posting. I am most especially interested in your observations pre, during and post on the 05 red tide event.

Do you have a copy of the data logs showing the number of goliath grouper carcasses found floating in the Clearwater and St. Pete area. That information would be highly valuable at the next Goliath Grouper Research Planning Meeting (date TBA).

Also, I invite all other wetpixel members who actively dive Florida, the coast of Alabama to Texas in the Gulf, back around to the east coast up to North Carolina to report what they are seeing in goliath grouper activity/numbers.

The proponents who are pushing to reopen a hunt are claiming that the fish is commonly found all over the place as far north as Hatteras. I have talked extensively with owners/employers at a Olympus Diving Center, as well as with a couple from Discovery Diving in Morehead North Carolina as when was the last time they have had an actual, confirmed sighting of a goliath grouper in their waters.

The best so far was “I think I saw one last year on either the Papoose, Naco or Proteus.â€

We need more information with South Carolina and Texas, as they are the most vacant in data of any kind.

Also, in case anyone missed it, our friends over at DivePhotoGuide has started a petition: http://www.divephotoguide.com/goliath-grouper.php

By the way, this photo appeared in last Saturday’s edition of the Key West Keynoter.

Also, in case anyone missed it, our friends over at DivePhotoGuide has started a petition: http://www.divephotoguide.com/goliath-grouper.php

 

By the way, this photo appeared in last Saturday’s edition of the Key West Keynoter.

Yes and just so everyone knows those fish in the article are quite young juveniles - the future of the population. I don't know of any species of grouper that is allowed to be fished that young - those fish are the future. The smallest juv we spotted was 6 in long, that is the smallest I've seen and once someone "anonymously" brought into the Clearwater Marine Aquarium a 4 in goliath specimen that they had in their home aquarium (netted from a grass bed). But they don't stay small that long - those in the photo are very young, the future of the species.

Walt - will try to get some records for you. Problem is the data is disjointed in reports from various captains, friends, FWC etc. See when the red tide got so bad you could hardly go out on the water cause it made you sick with the smell. I don't know how some can claim not many goliath grouper died because every fish, every crustacean, every nudibranch, most every sponge, a significant percentage of the hard corals (which are hardy), etc, all died throughout the water column, the sites looked like a desert moon afterwards. Everything that couldn't outrun that red tide died - it was unusual yes, a once in a hundred year event some said. The goliaths are territorial and a bit slow but even faster cobia, barracuda, jacks, etc were found floating too.

I think no one wants to acknowledge the severity of the '05 red tide to the public as it seriously effects things like the economy and tourism, etc. But nothing is gained by pretending it didn't happen. The Florida Aquarium has been doing fish surveys along with FWC and many other agencies from soon after the red tide '05. It did happen even the Miami Herald published a "dead zone" article on it, but then Katrina hit soon after and the turned attention away from the red tide and on the storms.

I'll try to get you some written data, I wonder if written affidavits from those who saw the carcasses would suffice?

And note Walt that Billy Causey - Mgr FL Keys Nat'l Marine Sanctuary and acting mgr of the SE region last I heard; anyway certain fishing "groups" hung Billy in "effigy" for creating the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and for the Dry Tortugas part of it he received actual "death threats" - so I'm sure you are familiar what we are dealing with.

Thanks, Carol

Thanks Carol,

Yes written affidavits from those who saw the carcasses will most definitely be highly useful in showing that these fish are just as susceptible to red tide like anything else. And that when the next event takes place (like hurricanes, we know there will be another), the carcasses of these fish can provide researchers with the additional information they need.

As to what you said here: “Mgr FL Keys Nat'l Marine Sanctuary and acting mgr of the SE region last I heard; anyway certain fishing "groups" hung Billy in "effigy" for creating the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and for the Dry Tortugas part of it he received actual "death threats" - so I'm sure you are familiar what we are dealing with.â€

I am well aware of it. Along with Mr. Causey, I have friends who can no longer use certain boat ramps for fear of having their tires slashed because of their involvement back in the early 90 to mid 90’s in shutting down the use of fish traps in state waters.

The majority of recreational fishermen are not bad people. In fact, a large part of the sportfishing community have just as much concern about seeing certain fish stocks being overfished. The problem is, with any large community, you will have groups that prefer to think and operate with a mob mentality. And, yes, they can sometimes be dangerous. Fortunately, for the most part, they are more bark than bite.

Here is a link to a forum who’s, regarding this subject, are a bit extreme: http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/showthre...ghlight=jewfish

Take special note of Denny, Richt, Apex and Gamble. At the other end of the spectrum Keezdiver and Binimibill

Once again, thank you. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

I will be standing by.

Walt

Walt,

I have emailed a copy of Dean's letter signed by me to the two names you list in your original post.

Hope this helps, let me know in there is anything else I can do.

jeff Hartog (loftus)

Yes it does.