Manufacturer condones Warsaw Grouper slaughter

[menemsha43]

Ya know... I too agree that the OP sounded like a troll ... however if a fish is endangered or threatened I have little or no respect for anyone attempting to hunt it, no matter what loop hole or exclusion they may legally fall under. The exception being when what ever passes for fisheries managment issues tags (or whatever) like they do around here for deer / moose / bear.

While there is no indication that these people broke any laws neither is there any indication that what they did was legal ... I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt but I don't think it provides a good example..

That's a reasonable post - I agree with many of those points

 

[ReefGuy]

They are still under fire from me, because my LDS, which I am loyal to, doesn't sell Zeagle. That's going to make my next purchase difficult

Scott and Chad go to DEMA and all hell breaks loose!! Of course it doesn't seem that Zeagle was under fire after the first few posts.

 

[liberato]

In a way it was a trophy hunt in that they went for the very biggest (the one with the genotype that allowed longest life in its local group so far) and then posed with the catch in trophy fashion for photos to put on the wall and a webpage. I would have left that one for breeding stock. But my mouth did water imagining all those steaks!

 

[DiveGolfSki]

Okay, that's it! I'm never buying any Zeagle products! Those murderous corporate types.

Of course, since I like my BP/Wing and can't afford any more equipment they make (under penalty of death ... by my better half), I don't think my boycott will affect sales one bit.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I would have left that one for breeding stock.

I have heard this arguement so many times concerning this animal.

The biggest, oldest animal doesn't mean it is the best breeder. It easily could have outlived it's usefulness as a breeder. I am not an expert at IDing the sex of these fish, so if it was female, it could easily have stopped producing eggs. Then it would be a top consumer on the food chain and its removal could have helped the ecosystem. If it were a male, it had undoubtedly spread its superior genes for many years and it has come time to harvest a mature animal and allow others to grow up and be productive rather than become food for this boss fish.

It is better to take a full grown, mature animal that has had the opportunity to spread its genes, than take an immature animal that could further benefit its kind.

TwoBit

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Anyone notice that we're 5 pages of comments along and the orginal poster has yet to weigh in anywhere?

Can you say "Sock-Puppet"?

 

[archman]

The biggest, oldest animal doesn't mean it is the best breeder. It easily could have outlived it's usefulness as a breeder. I am not an expert at IDing the sex of these fish, so if it was female, it could easily have stopped producing eggs. Then it would be a top consumer on the food chain and its removal could have helped the ecosystem. If it were a male, it had undoubtedly spread its superior genes for many years and it has come time to harvest a mature animal and allow others to grow up and be productive rather than become food for this boss fish.

When it comes to grouper, size is of critical importance to reproduction. These are female to male sex-changers. The biggest animals are usually all males. And the bigger they are, the higher their reproductive output. One big male can outproduce an equivalent weight of smaller males. Fish aren't cows or people; they tend to stay reproductively viable throughout their old age, and often get "better" at it.

When larger groupers are fished out, it eliminates the sex change feedback controls for younger and smaller fish. They often change sex too early, or not at all.

This is one of the reasons why overfished sea bass have such slow recovery rates. Killing off all the "adults" equates to killing off all the men.

 

[fishnchips]

welll.... hate to be a stickler,

Yeah, right, sure...
You are a lawyer, after all... sticklering is your bread and butter
Rick

:rofl: :rofl:

 

[Penopolypants]

But my mouth did water imagining all those steaks!

Is this thread making anybody else hungry?

Recipes for cooking grouper
Note:
may also be used for any firm textured fish, however tastes really yucky with endangered fish.


Margarita Grouper Fillets
http://www.cooking.com/recipes/static/recipe7423.htm


Grouper with Mango Habanero Barbeque Sauce
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_27402,00.html

 

[Diver Dennis]

To me the slaughter of sea life makes me think of longliners and trawlers, not spear fishermen...