Look out for Jewfish

By TERRY TOMALIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 9, 2000

Anglers up and down the coast are catching jewfish, the grandaddy of the grouper family, with regularity. The species, which can be found from Florida to Brazil, is protected in state and federal waters. But researchers have found these fish are showing signs of resurgence in local areas.

The Institute for Fishery Resource Ecology -- a cooperative research program of Florida State University and the National Marine Fisheries Service -- is asking fishermen and scuba divers to help document the movement patterns and distribution of jewfish in local waters.

Jewfish, because of their large size (8 feet) and weight (1,000 pounds) were overfished and on the verge of collapse when fishery managers stopped their harvest. Many fishermen, however, still catch these monsters on live and dead bait.

If you catch a tagged jewfish please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's hotline: (800) 367-4461. You can also write the Institute for Fishery Resource Ecology, Department of Biological Science, FSU, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1100.

Give your name, address, phone number and e-mail as well as the fish's location, depth, date seen or caught (and released), the tag number, bead pattern (if beaded tag) and photo if possible.

Do not remove the tag. And remember, jewfish are protected by law.

If you catch a tagged jewfish call the conservation commission's hotline: (800) 367-4461.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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