Abstract

Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) are a subtropical/tropical ambush predator of great importance for reef ecosystem stability, and in commercial/recreational fisheries. However, they have become increasingly vulnerable to fishing pressures and overexploitation given their unique life history traits, including aggregation spawning during the winter months (Sherman et al., 2016). While there have been efforts to establish more marine protected areas and fishing regulations, they were classified as a ‘threatened’ species in 2016 after populations declined by one-half between 2004 and 2016 (Federal Register, 2016; Sherman et al., 2016), suggesting that additional conservation strategies will be required to restore wild stocks.