NASSAU GROUPER

Nassau grouper

Scott Heppell

Latin name: Epinephelus striatus

Nassau Grouper are IUCN red-listed as endangered, and have been eliminated through much of their range due to overfishing of their spawning aggregations. As part of a collaboration between the Reef Environmental Education Foundation and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, we characterized the spawning of ecology of Nassau Grouper in the Cayman Islands and make recommendations for conservation and management. The Cayman government passed legislation to protect Nassau Grouper in 2016

Did you know? The Nassau grouper aggregates in large numbers to spawn.

Publications: 

Heppell SA, BX Semmens, SK Archer, CV Pattengill-Semmens, PG Bush, CM McCoy, SS Heppell, and BC Johnson. 2012. Documenting recovery of a spawning aggregation through size frequency analysis from underwater laser calipers measurements. Biological Conservation 155: 119-127

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