Sites have been found near the edges of reefs, as little as 50 yards from the shore, near drop-offs into deeper water across a wide range of depths (20 to 200 feet) and environments (including soft corals, sponges, stony coral outcrops, and sandy depressions). The timing and synchronization of spawning may be to accommodate widely dispersed adults, facilitate egg dispersal, or reduce predation on adults or eggs.As spawning time approaches, adults move from the reefs where they live to specific spawning areas. Our work with our partners includes:It is illegal to fish for, catch, or keep Nassau grouper in the United States (including the (including U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and within the While they are not currently in danger of extinction (though reduced in number, they keep their historical range and still form spawning aggregations), they are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future (based on continued risk of harvest, especially at spawning aggregation sites inadequately controlled by regulations and law enforcement). They swallow prey whole using a suction created by their protruding mouth.
The current population is estimated to be more than 10,000 mature individuals, but is thought to be decreasing.
They form from November through February around the full moon, when water temperatures are around 79°F. Their depth range may be influenced more by the availability of suitable habitat than by food resources, since their diet is highly varied and has more to do with body size than of water depth.
Nassau grouper spawn in aggregations—gatherings of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands.
The results inform management decisions and enhance recovery efforts for this threatened species. Harvesting a species during its reproductive period increases adult mortality and diminishes juvenile recruitment rates (that is, the rate at which juveniles enter the fishery as adults).
Data is scarce on historical Nassau grouper numbers.
Over a third of spawning aggregations have been estimated to have disappeared, and the grouper is considered to be commercially extinct in some areas. Little is known of their movements and distribution; they are rarely reported from offshore waters, and the link between spawning sites and settlement sites is not understood. Our work includes: We conduct and support various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of the Nassau grouper.
Their mouth size determines the size of fish they eat. Adults eat only fish, while juveniles eat a variety of fish and invertebrates (e.g., shrimp and crabs).There are limited data on when Nassau grouper forage.
Up to 29 years
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