Save the Goliath Grouper!

[Belzelbub]

Many of us have Fishing Licenses, Boat Registrations but also pay for a Snook Stamp, Lobster Stamp, Migratory Species Permit. I can agree that a Florida Fishing License with an additional stamp is reasonable to cover SCUBA. But the days that the divers ride for free should end.

I’m thinking it’s more of an “or” than an “and.” Appropriate fishing license (salt for saltwater) or SCUBA stamp. Not both.

There are already several species that are off-limits to spearing, but OK to take on hook and line. With bycatch mortality, and lost tackle, hook and line fishing does more damage than spearing. I don’t need to pay more to harvest fewer species in a more selective manner.

Oh, and my entire family has lifetime saltwater licenses (includes Snook and Lobster), my oldest also has the SW endorsement on her driver’s license (small extra fee), I’ll add to mine at renewal time. Specialty license plates (support Mote Marine), and we are registered as Reef Fish Anglers with FWC.

 

[johndiver999]

FWC continues ongoing goliath grouper efforts, explores adding access opportunities via a limited harvest

They also directed staff to develop a proposed draft rule for consideration by the Commission at a future meeting that would build on existing access opportunities for goliath by considering a limited, highly regulated harvest.

“We should applaud our successes,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “I’m in favor of coming back with a very delineated list of line items for a limited take that wouldn’t disturb the dive industry and would provide additional access to this fishery. Just because we’ve been doing something for 30 years doesn’t mean we need to keep doing it the same way.”

 

[HalcyonDaze]

FWC continues ongoing goliath grouper efforts, explores adding access opportunities via a limited harvest

They also directed staff to develop a proposed draft rule for consideration by the Commission at a future meeting that would build on existing access opportunities for goliath by considering a limited, highly regulated harvest.

“We should applaud our successes,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “I’m in favor of coming back with a very delineated list of line items for a limited take that wouldn’t disturb the dive industry and would provide additional access to this fishery. Just because we’ve been doing something for 30 years doesn’t mean we need to keep doing it the same way.”

The actual vote was a bit more nuanced; I had to duck out for a work call and missed the last 15 minutes but I caught the remainder of the session. While it was a 6-1 vote, three of the "yes" votes agreed with the dissenter that the data was not there to open a harvest yet, with one saying that if the proposal was to approve a harvest say, this year or next year his vote would be no. Suffice to say the two commissioners most quoted in the press were the most gung ho about the idea; given the current situation with manatee dieoffs in the state Chairman Barreto might have reconsidered his comparison that FWC has done "a heckuva job" with that species recovery. In particular after public comments the dissenting commissioner subjected the two FWRI staff to a rather pointed cross-examination where they admitted that they hadn't met their rather fuzzy "alternate metrics" for measuring goliath grouper recovery (which was what I led off on with my on-air comments).

On-air comments were mixed; to me it seemed like a majority were in favor of no harvest but I wasn't keeping a tally sheet and it definitely wasn't the lopsided showing it was in April 2018. Some fairly notable names weighed in on that side; Jean-Michel Cousteau called in as well as three prominent FL goliath grouper researchers (Chris Koenig and Chris Malinowski out of FSU and Jim Locascio out of Mote), Tom Ingram (president of DEMA), a few notable local photographers like Walt Stearns, and the administrator of Spearboard. There was a rather interesting kerfluffle when a guide and CCA member down in Islamorada called in to speak against a reopening (citing among other things observations of poaching); some time later a CCA bigwig called to say the organization supported a harvest and "apologized" for the "volunteer's personal opinion." According to staff 98% of the written comments received in advance of the meeting were against reopening.

Overall, the result was the entire commission agreed that the idea is to reopen goliath eventually and six of the seven believed FWC staff shoud write up a draft rule to continue that discussion, but four of the seven commissioners believe that decision should be some years down the road.

 

[Catito]

Here's the thing many fail to realize. Jewfish will never get back …

HEY:
Not sure if you are unaware or what…The name “Jewfish” is strongly believed to have an anti-Semitic origin. The non-inflammatory and common name is: Goliath Grouper.[/QUOTE]

 

[HalcyonDaze]

SCUBA/Rebreather stamp for all divers? Or just those who spearfish? If the latter, why should they pay double? Plus, spearfishing on rebreathers is illegal in FL waters.

I’m not a fan of a Scuba tax, and I feel it would be a tough one to collect. Though, on one hand, I do understand the desire for those who use the resource to share in its cost. A renewable license to dive is not going to go over very well. Overall, the Scuba Industry in the US has resisted government regulation in favor of self-regulation. Further, additional usage taxes won’t be very popular as well. Especially among those divers that also harvest. They already pay for a fishing license, plus appropriate stamps. Diving is not a cheap sport to begin with. I certainly don’t want to pay more, but I already support the resource through fishing licenses and boat registration.

I'm going to put in my two cents here; while it's not like this is a completely ridiculous idea (see marine parks in other countries that charge an entry fee for divers; I paid a marine park fee for my liveaboard to Guadalupe Island) it's a practice associated with no-take marine reserves or other places where the management goal is a "pristine" state. An equivalent would be your entrance fee to Everglades or Biscayne National Parks. The way the idea of a "scuba tax" has been presented in this thread is that wildlife management should be pay-to-play - if a user group isn't paying a fee to the management agency, then screw their feelings. The reason we have fishing licenses is because that use is consumptive - if I take a lobster home and throw it on the grill, somebody else isn't catching it the next day. I have "bought" that resource and taken it out of the system. Wildlife management is supposed to ensure the overall resource remains stable so that while the next guy can't catch my lobster, he can still catch a lobster. By contrast if I look at a fish on a reef, a whole bunch of people can do the same after me.

 

[CuzzA]

Not sure if you are unaware or what…The name “Jewfish” is strongly believed to have an anti-Semitic origin. The non-inflammatory and common name is: Goliath Grouper.

You are absolutely wrong. The fish is called the Jewfish because it was deemed kosher, for hundreds of years. It had nothing to do with being anti-Semitic. In fact logic tells us that's the dumbest shite ever to name a fish to try and be anti-Semitic.

It is actually people who deem normal things as racist, like the okay hand sign, that are in my view the racists - or at least try to ignite the flame. No, the reason why some people changed the named (not me) is because a few "expert" scientist thought it was anti-Semitic. Says more about them than anyone else.

Research before you accuse someone of being anti-Semitic.

Jewfish | Food | True Food Fact

Origin of jewfish
The precise origin of jewfish is not known, however, it has been traced back as early as the 8th century. The Christian Bible offers an account of a fish that swallowed the prophet Jonah whole. Nonetheless, The Bible did not specify the exact kind of fish. As this fish is so big, many believed it was responsible for the act. William Dampier, an English tourist who traveled around the world three times, wrote about this fish in his 1697 book, A New Voyage Around The World.

Dampier described this fish as the perfect fish and wrote that the English likely give it that name because it has scales and fins. He also wrote that it was a kosher creature adored by Jewish people in Jamaica. In 2001, a team of scientists successfully appealed to have the name “Jewfish” changed to “Goliath Grouper” because they felt the original name was being used abusively.
​

And since everyone has to relate everything to racism these days, I guess they didn't really think through naming the fish "Goliath."

Goliath (theology)

 

[Catito]

TAKE A LOOK CUZZA and read my post. I did not call you anti-Semitic. The origins are believed to be anti-Semitic. The name used (at least in Florida) is Goliath Grouper:​

[
Name change becomes official: Jewfish now Goliath Grouper - boats.com[/QUOTE]

 

[Catito]

FWC Officials Debate Allowing Limited Harvest of Goliath Grouper

CUZZA
Even FWC refers to the fish as “ Goliath Grouper”. Your terminology is outdated and offensive to many.

 

[CuzzA]

TAKE A LOOK CUZZA and read my post. I did not call you anti-Semitic. The origins are believed to be anti-Semitic. The name used (at least in Florida) is Goliath Grouper:​

[
Name change becomes official: Jewfish now Goliath Grouper - boats.com

Goliath is anti-semitic. Sworn enemy of the Jewish people.

Now what do you have to say? Funny that you're going to ignore the first recorded writing about the fish where it specifically describes it as a favorite of Jewish Jamaicans.

Anyway, you can call it whatever you want. We called it Jewfish for hundreds of years and still do. It has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. If you're offended then put me on ignore.

 

[Catito]

Goliath is anti-semitic. Sworn enemy of the Jewish people.

Now what do you have to say? Funny that you're going to ignore the first recorded writing about the fish where it specifically describes it as a favorite of Jewish Jamaicans.

Anyway, you can call it whatever you want. We called it Jewfish for hundreds of years and still do. It has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. If you're offended then put me on ignore.

Yes, I will