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Florida State University
Its not just about Football
Florida State University’s Department (FSU) of
Biological Science has been involved with goliath
grouper research for as long as the fish has been
under protective status.
Since the study’s inception, Dr. Chris Koenig
and Dr. Felicia Coleman, Koenig’s colleague/spouse
and Director of the Florida State University Coastal
and Marine Laboratory, have worked to define
the rate of recovery of adult goliath grouper in the
southeastern Gulf Mexico. According to both FSU
and the National Marine Fisheres Service (NMFS),
this region remains the most productive area in
the entire tropical Western Atlantic and Caribbean
basin, supporting numerous spawning aggregations
and prime nursery habitat.
To monitor these aggregations both FSU and
NMFS tag adult fish with visually identifiable
numbered tags, which are placed in the fish’s back
adjacent to the dorsal fin using a modified spear
gun. The researchers also mark and recapture
juveniles in Florida Bay’s mangroves. In some
cases, micro transponders are also placed on
the fish to monitor their movements.
www.underwaterjournal.com June/July 2007