The Nassau Grouper

The Nassau Grouper

The Nassau Grouper

Epinephelus striatus

The Bahamas is considered to be one of the few, if not last, areas in this region that still has a substantial (though reduced) population of the Nassau Grouper.

The Nassau grouper can be found in reefs, mangroves, sawgrass and estuarine areas.

The can usually be seen in caves, crevices and cracks of the reef.

The Nassau grouper was once able to undergo a sex change from female to male as the animal matured. The Nassau grouper is no longer thought to do this.

‪The Nassau Grouper is also able to change colour.A combination of the full moon and low water temperatures triggers a change in the colour of the fish.The Grouper usually has 5 dark brown bands around its body but during reproduction they become black on top and white underneath‬

The Nassau Grouper is heavily affected by the moon as they also aggregate in large schools to spawn during the full moon periods from December to February .

Spawning takes place around sunset when the aggregation moves from the shallows into deeper water. Of the million or more eggs that are released by the female grouper less than 1% will survive long enough to grow into adults. ‪The Nassau Grouper represents the most important finfish resource in The Bahamas. Uncontrolled fishing in the spawning aggregations, spearfishing and use of traps all contribute negatively to sustainability. The species is listed under critically endangered‬.

‪This information was retrieved from the department of Marine Resources ‬