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Home > GCR > Vol. 35 > Iss. 1 (2024)

 

Alternate Title

Lessons From an Iconic Grouper: Sex, Science, and Serendipity

Document Type

Ocean Reflections

Abstract

From a common little damselfish and spectacular grouper aggregations, to disappearing reef fishes and the dark side of the international seafood trade, my journey has passed through a fascinating and worrying period of change in the way we view and treat our oceans. Although much of my career has been in the Indo—Pacific, I focus here mainly on my professional ‘roots’ in the Caribbean and on the Nassau Grouper Epinephelus striatus, a species that kept me curious, taught me patience, never to assume and always to stay hopeful. This fish is almost an obsession; why can we not better safeguard it? I reflect on lessons learned in an unashamedly personal perspective on the iconic Nassau, and bring in a few other vulnerable reef fishes I came to know after moving across the world to Hong Kong in 1993. In this Ocean Reflections I have pulled together some threads and extracted some lessons.

The Nassau Grouper is threatened and its widespread recovery a challenge. Understanding the complexities of the life of this beautiful fish constantly improves through advancing technologies, tools and methodologies. Lagging is our ability and the political vision to use what we are learning to safeguard this, and similar, species. While there are success stories there remain many shortfalls in commitment, capacity and government will to manage aggregation—spawners, while society could value such species much more. What has the Nassau taught us to help break the cycle and better safeguard it, its spectacular aggregations and species like it?

First Page

Page ii

Last Page

Page xxiii

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Statement

No artificial intelligence (AI) was used in the preparation of this manuscript

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