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Jewfish:Saving The Florida Keys Mightiest Inshore Fish

As you are wreck diving in the Florida Keys and encounter something that resembles a volkswagon Beetle coming from the wreck,you are fortunate,jewfish were nearly extinct by the late 1980's and are on there way back with the proper regulations in place.Reaching a maximium weight of 800 lbs.,the jewfish are the largest grouper in the western Atlantic

Primarily shallow-water species,jewfish prefer the same type of bottom as other members of there family,wrecks,ledges,broken bottom in tropical and subtropical waters.

Scientest assumed that all groupers were,''protogynous hermaphrodites",they start life as females but,depending on enviornment can morph into males as they mature.Modern day studies show that the black,red,gag,scamp,and yellowmouth groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites.

The Nassau grouper and the jewfish are different,they come into the world as separate sexes-male or female-and stay that way.Nassau grouper are born as separate sexes but can change sexes,unlike the jewfish.

Jewfish were once slaughtered at will,without any regulations,they were speared and caught with truck tire  inner tubes until almost extinct.Bringing 10 to 15 cents a pound in the 80's dead, dive operaters estimate a single jewfish alive today ,could be worth thousands of dollars taking sport divers to view the fish in the wild.They are docile, large and are perfect subjects for underwater photographers.

Although jewfish were the first reef fish to recieve attention in regards to establishing size and bag limits in 1985 with no measurable recovery,by 1990 all harvesting was prohibited.

In 2010 we can say the jewfish are coming back ,and although jewfish are still a rarity in their northern range,the spawning areas that fisherman once pursued to near extinction are starting to reform on wrecks along the keys and in southwest Florida.

If we continue our protection of this slow growing giant ,the old days of seeing this awesome creature inhabiting the keys bridges and wrecks will be back.  

About the Author

Paul Beaudette is an avid fisherman and traveler and you can get more information by visiting his websites at

http://flakeysfishin.com/blog

 

http://flakeysfishin.com/oceankayaks

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