goliath grouper

Category: Endangered Species

The Atlantic goliath grouper or itajara (Epinephelus itajara) is a large saltwater fish of the grouper family. The goliath grouper is totally protected from harvest and is recognized as a critically endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).[1] The U.S. began protection in 1990 and the Caribbean in 1993. The species' population has been recovering since the ban, however with the fish's slow growth rate it will take some time for populations to return to their previous levels.