Goliath grouper

How it lives

Juveniles live in mangroves and brackish estuaries for about 5 to 6 years, then move to deeper reefs. Adults sit on rocky and coral reefs, shipwrecks and artificial reefs, from shallow water to about 45 m typically. They mature at about 6 years. In July to September, up to 100 or more gather to spawn at wrecks and rock ledges. The oldest recorded was 37 years, and they may live longer.

Where it goes

Adults have fairly small home ranges and are territorial around their refuge. They travel to spawning aggregations in summer. NOAA scientists are still studying juvenile migration and habitat needs.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Found in the western Atlantic from Florida through the Caribbean to Brazil, and occasionally farther north. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable (2018 assessment, published 2019), after an earlier Critically Endangered listing in 2011. US harvest has been closed since 1990 and in the Caribbean since 1993. NOAA reports significant increases in the continental US population, and it left the species of concern list in 2006. In 2023 Florida began a limited permit lottery of 200 permits a year for juveniles in state waters. Federal waters remain closed. I did not find a recent count for Cuba.