Goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara (Teleostei: Serranidae) in the Mexican Caribbean local ecological knowledge and habitat use

Rare species necessitate alternative survey techniques and, in the case of exploited resources, any attempt to monitor their abundance with a meaningful benchmark should also include local ecological knowledge (LEK) of local users. This study evaluates the status of Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) in the Mexican Caribbean via LEK and also direct acquisition of data on habitat use of the species in Chetumal Bay, taking into account distribution by body size, site, and habitat. We interviewed 124 fshers about their knowledge and experience with Goliath grouper, comparing northern to southern Mexican Caribbean, as well as older vs. younger fshers. The species is a well-identifed resource; fshers are able to describe many behavioral and habitat-use traits, but they fnd it difcult to discern males from females and juveniles from adults. The fshery is opportunistic and the capture is commercialized and consumed only locally. The species has declined over the last decades, the probable cause being the increase in the number of fshers and boats, as well as the use of harpoon by divers. In addition to the interviews, 54 specimens were recorded in Chetumal Bay, standard length 517–1613 mm. Goliath grouper preferred submerged sinkholes and caves, locally called “pozas,” with water temperature of 23–31 °C and salinity of 4.5–30.0 psu, 1.5–40.0 m deep. Although access to “pozas” can be dangerous—a fact that could favor viability of Goliath grouper—even in these sites, the fshery extracts young and subadult animals, probably afecting population dynamics.