417
12 Species Case Studies
and reproductive output of the spawning population (Whiteman et al. 2005 ; Nemeth
et al. 2006 ) . For example, Whiteman et al. ( 2005 ) found that a 41 cm female has
nearly 8 times greater fecundity than a 31 cm female (1,566,120 vs. 199,840 eggs).
In the Caribbean different management measures have been used to protect red
hind spawning aggregations. These include permanent closures (St. Thomas,
Bermuda), seasonal closures (St. Croix), and seasonal market closures (British
Virgin Islands, western Puerto Rico). Not enough population information exists on
the effects of these different management actions on sustaining red hind spawning
aggregations and local populations. However, several studies in the USVI indicate
that seasonal closures may improve population characteristics (length, sex ratio) of
some aggregations but not others, whereas large permanent closures can facilitate
rapid recovery of a spawning population and improve the catch of the local fi shery
(Nemeth 2005 ; Nemeth et al. 2006 ; Pickert et al. 2006 ) .
12.4 Atlantic Goliath Grouper – Epinephelus itajara
Beatrice P. Ferreira, Mauricio Hostim-Silva, Athila A. Bertoncini,
Felicia C. Coleman, and Christopher C. Koenig
Departamento de Oceanografi a , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco ,
Av. Arquitetura s/n, Cidade Universitaria Recife , Pernambuco , Brazil, CEP 50740-550
e-mail: beatricepadovani@yahoo.com.br
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, DCAB, CEUNES, Rodovia BR 101
Norte, Km 60, Bairro Litorâneo s/n, São Mateus, ES, CEP 29.932-540
e-mail: mhostim@uol.com.br
Universidade Federal Fluminense, PPG- Biologia Marinha, ECOPESCA, Outeiro
São João Batista s/n, Niterói, RJ, Brazil, CEP 24020-141 C.Postal 100.644
e-mail: athilapeixe@gmail.com
Department of Biological Science, Florida State University Coastal
and Marine Laboratory, 3618 Coastal Highway, St. Teresa, FL 32358, USA
e-mail: coleman@bio.fsu.edu; koenig@bio.fsu.edu
12.4.1 General
Lichtenstein (1822) fi rst described the goliath grouper as Serranus itajara (Family
Serranidae) in a publication on the natural history of Brazil. In 1884, Jordan
proposed its inclusion in the genus Epinephelus (Bloch 1793), sub-family
Epinephelinae. Recently, Craig and Hastings ( 2007 ) suggested raising the subfamily status to family (Epinephelinae) and Craig et al. ( 2009 ), revealed through
DNA sequencing that goliath grouper populations actually represent two distinct
species: one in the eastern Pacifi c with the proposed new specifi c designation
E. quinquefasciatus Bocourt and at least one in the Atlantic – currently subsumed
under E. itajara (Lichtenstein).
12 Species Case Studies
and reproductive output of the spawning population (Whiteman et al. 2005 ; Nemeth
et al. 2006 ) . For example, Whiteman et al. ( 2005 ) found that a 41 cm female has
nearly 8 times greater fecundity than a 31 cm female (1,566,120 vs. 199,840 eggs).
In the Caribbean different management measures have been used to protect red
hind spawning aggregations. These include permanent closures (St. Thomas,
Bermuda), seasonal closures (St. Croix), and seasonal market closures (British
Virgin Islands, western Puerto Rico). Not enough population information exists on
the effects of these different management actions on sustaining red hind spawning
aggregations and local populations. However, several studies in the USVI indicate
that seasonal closures may improve population characteristics (length, sex ratio) of
some aggregations but not others, whereas large permanent closures can facilitate
rapid recovery of a spawning population and improve the catch of the local fi shery
(Nemeth 2005 ; Nemeth et al. 2006 ; Pickert et al. 2006 ) .
12.4 Atlantic Goliath Grouper – Epinephelus itajara
Beatrice P. Ferreira, Mauricio Hostim-Silva, Athila A. Bertoncini,
Felicia C. Coleman, and Christopher C. Koenig
Departamento de Oceanografi a , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco ,
Av. Arquitetura s/n, Cidade Universitaria Recife , Pernambuco , Brazil, CEP 50740-550
e-mail: beatricepadovani@yahoo.com.br
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, DCAB, CEUNES, Rodovia BR 101
Norte, Km 60, Bairro Litorâneo s/n, São Mateus, ES, CEP 29.932-540
e-mail: mhostim@uol.com.br
Universidade Federal Fluminense, PPG- Biologia Marinha, ECOPESCA, Outeiro
São João Batista s/n, Niterói, RJ, Brazil, CEP 24020-141 C.Postal 100.644
e-mail: athilapeixe@gmail.com
Department of Biological Science, Florida State University Coastal
and Marine Laboratory, 3618 Coastal Highway, St. Teresa, FL 32358, USA
e-mail: coleman@bio.fsu.edu; koenig@bio.fsu.edu
12.4.1 General
Lichtenstein (1822) fi rst described the goliath grouper as Serranus itajara (Family
Serranidae) in a publication on the natural history of Brazil. In 1884, Jordan
proposed its inclusion in the genus Epinephelus (Bloch 1793), sub-family
Epinephelinae. Recently, Craig and Hastings ( 2007 ) suggested raising the subfamily status to family (Epinephelinae) and Craig et al. ( 2009 ), revealed through
DNA sequencing that goliath grouper populations actually represent two distinct
species: one in the eastern Pacifi c with the proposed new specifi c designation
E. quinquefasciatus Bocourt and at least one in the Atlantic – currently subsumed
under E. itajara (Lichtenstein).