12/4/2023 0 Comments Red grouper fish![]() ![]() In coral reef areas, where it can be difficult to catch groupers using conventional nets, illegal fishing methods are sometimes used, including explosives and poisons, despite the efforts of authorities to stop this practice. Mouths are also used to dig shelters in sand and under rocks.Ī variety of capture methods are used to catch groupers, including handline, nets and trawling gear. Heavy tooth plates in the pharynx help to break down their food. Their mouths and gills form a powerful vacuum, which enables them to suck in fish, octopuses and crustaceans, which are swallowed whole. Most groupers are solitary fish, cruising the reefs and shallows for their prey. The largest is the Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara), which can reach 2.5 metres in length and weigh up to 450kg! Size and weight vary with the species, but they can grow to over one metre in length. Groupers are not sleek, speed or distance swimmers, but tend to have large bodies. These fish are teleosts, which are characterised by a movable upper jaw that protrudes when their large mouths are opened. Those inhabiting deep water tend to be much redder in colour than those living near the shore. Many are dull green or brown in colour, but some have bright, bold patterns. Groupers are widely distributed in warm seas, in both deep water and shallow reef areas. ![]() Groupers are economically important for artisanal fisheries and are among the highest priced species in many Asian fish markets, often being sold live. Most of these belong to the genera Mycteroperca and Epinephelus, and number more than 230 species in total. ![]() However, it is interesting to note that globally, many species of fish are known by the general name ‘grouper.’ The classification of fish is complex, and has no bearing on a delicious dish of delicately flavoured grouper served in a restaurant, or cooked at home. ![]()
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