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A Pompano Beach fishing captain was caught in possession of a goliath grouper, a federally protected species.
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a call June 12 about a man named Craig Gordon filleting a goliath grouper on the cutting platform at the Hillsboro Inlet marina behind his boat Offsides. Arriving at the marina, the officers saw Broward Sheriff's deputies already on the scene, who had Gordon open the door to his jeep where they saw two bags of fish.
Asked the species, Gordon said it was Warsaw grouper, which is not a protected species. The wildlife officers asked him to unlock a fish box by the dock, and as he did, he said, "You got me."
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Inside the box was the head of a goliath grouper. Gordon then admitted that the bags of fish – estimated at 125 to 150 pounds - were goliath grouper.
The goliath grouper – a giant species known until 10 years ago as the jewfish – has been a protected species since 1990. Capable of growing up to 800 pounds, the goliath grouper lives among the reefs and coastal areas of Florida, feeding on spiny lobsters, shrimp and crab, fishes, octopus and young sea turtles.
In the past few years, the fish has become more abundant, to the point that many fishermen are pressuring the state wildlife commission to let them catch them again. Other say the goliath grouper should remain protected as a unique attraction of Florida's reefs. |
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