News

Actions

Florida Wildlife officials considering letting fisherman fish the Goliath Grouper

Florida Wildlife officials considering letting fisherman fish the Goliath Grouper
Florida Wildlife officials considering letting fisherman fish the Goliath Grouper
Posted at 5:21 PM, Aug 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-07 14:41:28-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Florida Wildlife officials are considering letting anglers reel in a limited number of Goliath Grouper.

The massive fish can weigh up to 800 pounds, and reach 8-feet in length.

Goliath Grouper, which are edible, have not been legally harvested since 1990 due to over-fishing.

The population has substantially recovered.

Earlier this year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission decided to gather public input on the possibility of a future limited harvest of the animal.

FWC's Amanda Nalley says there are significant numbers of the fish in some parts of the state.

Nalley says any harvest would likely be extremely limited in both the number of tags issued and the number of fish allowed to be caught by one person.

MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go.