1 00:00:00,067 --> 00:00:01,101 . 2 00:00:01,101 --> 00:00:03,370 >>Major funding for this program was provided 3 00:00:03,370 --> 00:00:07,207 by the Batchelor Foundation, encouraging people to preserve 4 00:00:07,207 --> 00:00:11,945 and protect America's underwater resources. 5 00:00:20,821 --> 00:00:22,589 >>NARRATOR: It's an imposing fish, 6 00:00:22,589 --> 00:00:26,860 sure to inspire awe in those who see it. 7 00:00:26,860 --> 00:00:29,663 At a time when other large fish are rapidly disappearing 8 00:00:29,663 --> 00:00:33,934 from the world's oceans, this giant is making a comeback 9 00:00:33,934 --> 00:00:36,336 in Florida. 10 00:00:36,336 --> 00:00:38,138 >>It's a unique feeling to be able to get close 11 00:00:38,138 --> 00:00:42,075 to a marine animal that's as big as you. 12 00:00:42,075 --> 00:00:44,578 >>NARRATOR: This is the goliath grouper, 13 00:00:44,578 --> 00:00:48,148 a fish once almost hunted to extinction. 14 00:00:48,148 --> 00:00:51,285 >>It's like going to a park where you never saw a bear 15 00:00:51,285 --> 00:00:53,287 for years and years, and now you see 16 00:00:53,287 --> 00:00:55,622 a dozen big grizzly bears, 17 00:00:55,622 --> 00:00:58,058 I mean it's an impressive thing to see. 18 00:00:58,058 --> 00:00:59,426 >>NARRATOR: But the goliath's return 19 00:00:59,426 --> 00:01:01,962 is not a welcome sight to all. 20 00:01:01,962 --> 00:01:05,699 >>Both spear fishermen and rod and reel fishermen believe 21 00:01:05,699 --> 00:01:09,503 the goliath grouper is eating everything on the reef 22 00:01:09,503 --> 00:01:14,508 and is destroying the ecosystem. 23 00:01:14,508 --> 00:01:17,177 >>NARRATOR: But what does the scientific data show? 24 00:01:17,177 --> 00:01:20,414 Are goliaths' really overpopulating the reef? 25 00:01:20,414 --> 00:01:24,785 Or is this species just now beginning to recover? 26 00:01:59,119 --> 00:02:01,922 >>NARRATOR: They are an impressive sight, 27 00:02:01,922 --> 00:02:05,993 the largest fish on the reef. 28 00:02:05,993 --> 00:02:07,794 They can weigh up to 1,000 pounds 29 00:02:07,794 --> 00:02:12,766 and exceed seven feet in length. 30 00:02:12,766 --> 00:02:15,669 Goliath grouper, which used to be known as jewfish, 31 00:02:15,669 --> 00:02:19,973 historically were found from as far north as the Carolinas, 32 00:02:19,973 --> 00:02:23,343 across the Caribbean and south to Brazil. 33 00:02:23,343 --> 00:02:26,546 The fish can also be found off the west coast of Africa, 34 00:02:26,546 --> 00:02:31,018 and a distinct subspecies exists in the Pacific. 35 00:02:31,018 --> 00:02:34,554 Today, they are considered critically endangered 36 00:02:34,554 --> 00:02:38,592 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 37 00:02:38,592 --> 00:02:41,428 >>Everywhere except the southeastern United States, 38 00:02:41,428 --> 00:02:44,331 they are indeed critically endangered. 39 00:02:44,331 --> 00:02:45,332 Of course, they're protected throughout 40 00:02:45,332 --> 00:02:47,601 all U.S. possessions: Puerto Rico, 41 00:02:47,601 --> 00:02:51,672 the Virgin Islands, as well as southeastern United States. 42 00:02:51,672 --> 00:02:53,974 They were on the threatened species list, but they have 43 00:02:53,974 --> 00:02:56,677 been since taken off that list because their population 44 00:02:56,677 --> 00:02:57,978 in the southeastern United States 45 00:02:57,978 --> 00:03:02,149 is on the road to recovery. 46 00:03:02,149 --> 00:03:04,284 >>NARRATOR: Goliaths are a shallow water species, 47 00:03:04,284 --> 00:03:07,220 rarely found at depths below 200 feet. 48 00:03:07,220 --> 00:03:10,424 They need water temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit 49 00:03:10,424 --> 00:03:13,760 to survive, which limits their range. 50 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,562 And for the most part, they are curious, 51 00:03:15,562 --> 00:03:17,497 but shy creatures. 52 00:03:17,497 --> 00:03:19,599 They often retreat to their favorite hideout 53 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:22,436 when humans approach. 54 00:03:22,436 --> 00:03:24,838 >>These are animals that don't move much. 55 00:03:24,838 --> 00:03:26,373 They sit. 56 00:03:26,373 --> 00:03:27,841 They love wrecks. 57 00:03:27,841 --> 00:03:29,776 They love caves. 58 00:03:29,776 --> 00:03:31,445 They love any kind of structure 59 00:03:31,445 --> 00:03:34,581 that typically has an overhead for them. 60 00:03:34,581 --> 00:03:38,151 It gives them a sense of security, I suppose. 61 00:03:38,151 --> 00:03:39,820 >>Basically, I kind of joke about calling them 62 00:03:39,820 --> 00:03:41,888 the "couch potatoes" of the grouper family. 63 00:03:41,888 --> 00:03:44,357 >>They don't even eat every day. 64 00:03:44,357 --> 00:03:46,393 >>NARRATOR: Aside from their tremendous size, 65 00:03:46,393 --> 00:03:49,529 divers and fishermen can easily distinguish goliaths 66 00:03:49,529 --> 00:03:52,566 from other grouper species by the brown stripes 67 00:03:52,566 --> 00:03:54,334 along the sides of their bod 68 00:03:54,334 --> 00:03:58,338 and their distinctive rounded tail fin. 69 00:04:04,444 --> 00:04:06,580 Recreational fishermen have long enjoyed 70 00:04:06,580 --> 00:04:10,050 Florida's waters for the impressive catches they yield, 71 00:04:10,050 --> 00:04:13,787 which used to include goliath grouper. 72 00:04:13,787 --> 00:04:16,923 Historical photographs show proud anglers posing beside 73 00:04:16,923 --> 00:04:22,395 their massive catches, fish larger than themselves. 74 00:04:22,395 --> 00:04:27,467 In those days, the resource seemed endless. 75 00:04:27,467 --> 00:04:31,404 >>The wrecks offshore, at 100, 150 feet probably had 76 00:04:31,404 --> 00:04:33,874 over 100 jewfish each on them. 77 00:04:33,874 --> 00:04:37,010 They were just absolutely packed. 78 00:04:37,010 --> 00:04:38,712 >>NARRATOR: Don Demaria, who used to work 79 00:04:38,712 --> 00:04:41,648 as a commercial fisherman, says goliath grouper 80 00:04:41,648 --> 00:04:44,551 are an easy target. 81 00:04:44,551 --> 00:04:47,921 He started spearing them commercially in the late 1970s 82 00:04:47,921 --> 00:04:51,792 on remote wrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. 83 00:04:51,792 --> 00:04:54,127 >>We'd catch most of these jewfish between Key West 84 00:04:54,127 --> 00:04:56,930 and Tampa, mostly off the Fort Myers area. 85 00:04:56,930 --> 00:04:59,399 There seemed to be the biggest concentration of them. 86 00:04:59,399 --> 00:05:02,202 And we'd bring them back and sell them in Key West. 87 00:05:02,202 --> 00:05:05,672 In Key West it was always a local delicacy among the conchs. 88 00:05:05,672 --> 00:05:07,307 >>NARRATOR: Don and his colleagues discovered 89 00:05:07,307 --> 00:05:09,676 that goliath grouper tend to aggregate around 90 00:05:09,676 --> 00:05:13,146 certain wrecks and ledges in the summertime. 91 00:05:13,146 --> 00:05:15,315 >>That's when they aggregated to spawn, 92 00:05:15,315 --> 00:05:19,085 which was the ultimate downfall of the fishery is that 93 00:05:19,085 --> 00:05:21,988 they aggregate in these large groups. 94 00:05:21,988 --> 00:05:24,958 >>NARRATOR: With the advent of modern-day navigation devices, 95 00:05:24,958 --> 00:05:28,195 fishermen could soon locate these aggregation sites 96 00:05:28,195 --> 00:05:31,598 easily in the offshore waters of the Gulf. 97 00:05:31,598 --> 00:05:33,466 >>But over the years more and more people got into it 98 00:05:33,466 --> 00:05:36,203 and it didn't take much. 99 00:05:36,203 --> 00:05:39,573 Very little extra pressure and I saw spawning aggregations 100 00:05:39,573 --> 00:05:44,578 go from 100 fish down to in one case just one fish, 101 00:05:44,578 --> 00:05:46,880 other areas none. 102 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:48,715 One of these wrecks was the "California." 103 00:05:48,715 --> 00:05:50,817 This wreck had an unbelievable amount of fish on it, 104 00:05:50,817 --> 00:05:52,319 way over 100. 105 00:05:52,319 --> 00:05:54,588 And I went there after a charter dive boat 106 00:05:54,588 --> 00:05:57,357 and it was just sickening what we saw. 107 00:05:57,357 --> 00:05:59,726 There were fish swimming around with spears in their sides. 108 00:05:59,726 --> 00:06:02,996 Others had big hook and line like broken chain-type rigs 109 00:06:02,996 --> 00:06:04,397 where they had broken off. 110 00:06:04,397 --> 00:06:07,601 And it's my understanding they took something like 30 fish 111 00:06:07,601 --> 00:06:09,536 back to Marco Island, these fish would average 112 00:06:09,536 --> 00:06:13,139 about 200 pounds each, took their photographs with them 113 00:06:13,139 --> 00:06:14,541 and didn't have enough ice for the fish 114 00:06:14,541 --> 00:06:17,477 and they ultimately it just got wasted. 115 00:06:17,477 --> 00:06:21,114 >>NARRATOR: That was in the late 1980s. 116 00:06:21,114 --> 00:06:24,417 Don and his friends decided to take action. 117 00:06:24,417 --> 00:06:29,923 >>Don knew so much about goliath grouper behavior 118 00:06:29,923 --> 00:06:32,792 and populations and it was just amazing. 119 00:06:32,792 --> 00:06:36,730 And thank god he became a conservationist because 120 00:06:36,730 --> 00:06:40,100 he could have probably wiped them out by himself. 121 00:06:40,100 --> 00:06:43,637 And he actually went to the fishery management councils 122 00:06:43,637 --> 00:06:47,474 and said, "You've got to stop fishing on this species; 123 00:06:47,474 --> 00:06:50,143 can't take this level of fishing; it's going 124 00:06:50,143 --> 00:06:51,878 to be completely annihilated." 125 00:06:51,878 --> 00:06:54,814 When you have a commercial fisherman that comes up to you 126 00:06:54,814 --> 00:06:59,753 and says, "save this fish" you pay attention to it. 127 00:06:59,753 --> 00:07:01,688 And I would say that he 128 00:07:01,688 --> 00:07:05,058 single-handedly convinced people. 129 00:07:05,058 --> 00:07:07,394 That's not usually the way it happens. 130 00:07:07,394 --> 00:07:10,397 It usually takes a long time 131 00:07:10,397 --> 00:07:12,532 before there's scientific evidence 132 00:07:12,532 --> 00:07:16,002 that a population is in trouble. 133 00:07:16,002 --> 00:07:18,038 >>There were people locally that grumbled about it, 134 00:07:18,038 --> 00:07:20,240 but there was just so few fish left that there 135 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,244 just wasn't much opposition. 136 00:07:27,647 --> 00:07:30,984 >>NARRATOR: And so, in 1990, the goliath grouper fisher 137 00:07:30,984 --> 00:07:35,422 was closed in U.S. waters. 138 00:07:35,422 --> 00:07:37,590 Today, the harvest of this species 139 00:07:37,590 --> 00:07:42,595 is a second degree misdemeanor that carries a fine. 140 00:07:47,367 --> 00:07:50,470 A few years after the closure, marine ecologists 141 00:07:50,470 --> 00:07:53,139 Dr. Felicia Coleman and Dr. Chris Koenig 142 00:07:53,139 --> 00:07:57,310 began studying the life history of these giant fish. 143 00:07:57,310 --> 00:07:58,611 The husband and wife team, 144 00:07:58,611 --> 00:08:00,714 who work at the coastal and marine laborator 145 00:08:00,714 --> 00:08:04,818 at Florida State University have conducted a number of studies 146 00:08:04,818 --> 00:08:10,790 over the years to gain a better understanding of the species. 147 00:08:10,790 --> 00:08:15,328 To collect their data scientists spend many hours at sea. 148 00:08:15,328 --> 00:08:18,365 Chris works closely with local captains and fishermen 149 00:08:18,365 --> 00:08:20,867 who often have an intimate knowledge of the sites 150 00:08:20,867 --> 00:08:23,436 where the grouper can be found. 151 00:08:23,436 --> 00:08:27,173 One of them is Tony Grogan, who operates a popular website 152 00:08:27,173 --> 00:08:29,743 for spear fishermen. 153 00:08:29,743 --> 00:08:32,512 Tony often volunteers his boat to take scientists 154 00:08:32,512 --> 00:08:34,280 into the field. 155 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,349 >>I'm a big advocate of good science 156 00:08:36,349 --> 00:08:40,220 and sound fisheries management decisions. 157 00:08:40,220 --> 00:08:42,956 >>NARRATOR: In recent years, goliath grouper have again 158 00:08:42,956 --> 00:08:44,824 started to aggregate on wrecks 159 00:08:44,824 --> 00:08:47,060 and ledges near Jupiter, Florida, 160 00:08:47,060 --> 00:08:51,031 close to where Tony lives. 161 00:08:51,031 --> 00:08:53,466 By the 1960s, most of the goliaths 162 00:08:53,466 --> 00:08:57,037 along South Florida's Atlantic Coast had been fished out, 163 00:08:57,037 --> 00:09:07,847 so it is very encouraging to see the animals return. 164 00:09:07,847 --> 00:09:10,183 To collect valuable data about the fish, 165 00:09:10,183 --> 00:09:13,086 the grouper need to be brought up to the surface. 166 00:09:13,086 --> 00:09:17,090 Usually, Chris sets a hand line to capture the goliaths, 167 00:09:17,090 --> 00:09:19,692 but on this trip Tony and his friends came up 168 00:09:19,692 --> 00:09:22,062 with another idea. 169 00:09:22,062 --> 00:09:24,130 >>We're actually fishing, hook and line, 170 00:09:24,130 --> 00:09:27,333 long line underwater and we're using a lift bag, 171 00:09:27,333 --> 00:09:29,602 to send the goliath grouper up. 172 00:09:29,602 --> 00:09:32,639 We tie off the lift bag away from the wreck, 173 00:09:32,639 --> 00:09:35,308 so we can catch them and prevent them from running back 174 00:09:35,308 --> 00:09:38,011 into the wreck, and very carefully send them 175 00:09:38,011 --> 00:09:43,016 up on the lift bag. 176 00:09:53,993 --> 00:09:55,028 Cool, they got one. 177 00:09:55,028 --> 00:09:59,632 Look over there! 178 00:09:59,632 --> 00:10:01,267 >>Good job, Jim. 179 00:10:01,267 --> 00:10:03,436 >>NARRATOR: Once the fish is on the surface, 180 00:10:03,436 --> 00:10:06,639 it needs to be brought up to the boat for a work-up. 181 00:10:06,639 --> 00:10:09,676 This particular goliath grouper is relatively small 182 00:10:09,676 --> 00:10:13,313 and therefore easier to handle. 183 00:10:13,313 --> 00:10:16,549 Chris can tell how old the fish is by removing parts 184 00:10:16,549 --> 00:10:19,285 of its dorsal fin ray. 185 00:10:19,285 --> 00:10:21,921 >>That's the so-called soft ray. 186 00:10:21,921 --> 00:10:25,358 It lays down rings like the rings of a tree 187 00:10:25,358 --> 00:10:28,061 and so we can estimate age of the fish. 188 00:10:28,061 --> 00:10:29,662 >>NARRATOR: Traditionally, fish are aged 189 00:10:29,662 --> 00:10:32,899 by looking at the rings found in their ear bones. 190 00:10:32,899 --> 00:10:35,068 But since this would require killing the fish, 191 00:10:35,068 --> 00:10:37,904 Chris and Felicia discovered that taking a piece 192 00:10:37,904 --> 00:10:41,875 of the dorsal fin ray works just as well. 193 00:10:41,875 --> 00:10:44,177 >>We felt like it was very important not to sacrifice 194 00:10:44,177 --> 00:10:45,378 those fish. 195 00:10:45,378 --> 00:10:49,949 You can remove the rays from the fish and they can re-grow. 196 00:10:49,949 --> 00:10:52,585 You can go back and check on a number of different things 197 00:10:52,585 --> 00:10:54,554 like growth rate of individual fish, 198 00:10:54,554 --> 00:10:58,658 if you can repeatedly capture the same individual. 199 00:10:58,658 --> 00:11:00,994 >>NARRATOR: Historically, goliath grouper can live 200 00:11:00,994 --> 00:11:03,663 to be at least 37 years old, 201 00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:06,866 but because of the severe fishing pressures in the past, 202 00:11:06,866 --> 00:11:10,703 the current population is still relatively young. 203 00:11:10,703 --> 00:11:13,473 >>All of the individuals we've looked at are under 18, 204 00:11:13,473 --> 00:11:17,777 which is the time of the fishery closure in 1990. 205 00:11:17,777 --> 00:11:26,753 So their population was clearly beat way, way back. 206 00:11:26,753 --> 00:11:28,454 >>NARRATOR: Next, it's time to analyze 207 00:11:28,454 --> 00:11:30,823 the stomach contents of the fish. 208 00:11:30,823 --> 00:11:33,326 This is done by inserting a metal tube into the mouth 209 00:11:33,326 --> 00:11:35,995 of the fish, and pulling out whatever food may be 210 00:11:35,995 --> 00:11:37,730 in the fish's stomach. 211 00:11:37,730 --> 00:11:41,267 >>By and large, they're eating crabs, shrimp, 212 00:11:41,267 --> 00:11:42,702 they're eating some lobster. 213 00:11:42,702 --> 00:11:46,105 They're eating stingrays and things like that. 214 00:11:46,105 --> 00:11:48,441 Now that just gives you a snapshot of what 215 00:11:48,441 --> 00:11:50,610 the fish just ate. 216 00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:52,445 >>NARRATOR: To really get a comprehensive look 217 00:11:52,445 --> 00:11:55,114 at the diet of the fish, scientists need to conduct 218 00:11:55,114 --> 00:11:58,284 a chemical analysis of tissue samples. 219 00:11:58,284 --> 00:12:02,956 >>And what you're looking for there is a signal or a signature 220 00:12:02,956 --> 00:12:05,758 that tells you what the diet is made up. 221 00:12:05,758 --> 00:12:07,827 So the studies that we've done on goliath grouper 222 00:12:07,827 --> 00:12:12,298 strongly indicate that these guys eat crustaceans, 223 00:12:12,298 --> 00:12:14,500 not fish primarily. 224 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:17,604 >>NARRATOR: Having this kind of data is not only interesting 225 00:12:17,604 --> 00:12:20,907 from a scientific standpoint, but it also helps to shed light 226 00:12:20,907 --> 00:12:23,476 on a big controversy that has been brewing 227 00:12:23,476 --> 00:12:26,145 since the number of goliaths' has gone up again 228 00:12:26,145 --> 00:12:27,981 in Florida waters. 229 00:12:27,981 --> 00:12:30,950 >>A lot of the fishermen are under the impression 230 00:12:30,950 --> 00:12:34,487 that goliath grouper are destroying the reefs 231 00:12:34,487 --> 00:12:38,625 by focusing on feeding on the other grouper 232 00:12:38,625 --> 00:12:42,028 and snapper species, leaving fewer for them to fish. 233 00:12:42,028 --> 00:12:46,933 Now an equally plausible explanation for what they think 234 00:12:46,933 --> 00:12:50,970 is happening is that all of the grouper and snapper 235 00:12:50,970 --> 00:12:53,406 have basically been fished out. 236 00:12:53,406 --> 00:12:56,676 And the reason they're seeing goliath grouper is because 237 00:12:56,676 --> 00:13:00,847 it's a protected species and so that's what's left on the reef. 238 00:13:00,847 --> 00:13:03,116 There's no question that they're opportunistic. 239 00:13:03,116 --> 00:13:06,719 If they see a fish going by on a hook or piece of bait, 240 00:13:06,719 --> 00:13:08,655 they'll take it. 241 00:13:08,655 --> 00:13:09,789 >>NARRATOR: But, Felicia says, 242 00:13:09,789 --> 00:13:12,425 snapper and other grouper species do not seem to be 243 00:13:12,425 --> 00:13:16,562 their preferred diet. 244 00:13:16,562 --> 00:13:19,465 Once all the scientific data has been collected, 245 00:13:19,465 --> 00:13:23,236 and the fish has been tagged, it is time to release it. 246 00:13:23,236 --> 00:13:27,206 >>We're going to lower it. 247 00:13:27,206 --> 00:13:30,777 >>We've tagged thousands of fish over the last 248 00:13:30,777 --> 00:13:36,549 ten or 12 years, and we find the same fish on the same rock 249 00:13:36,549 --> 00:13:38,418 year after year after year. 250 00:13:38,418 --> 00:13:40,320 And that's not to say that the fish don't move. 251 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,423 When sex comes into the picture, they'll go 100 miles 252 00:13:43,423 --> 00:13:45,325 and participate in spawning events, 253 00:13:45,325 --> 00:13:48,528 but they'll come back to the same rock. 254 00:13:48,528 --> 00:13:51,698 >>NARRATOR: Scientists aren't sure how these fish know where 255 00:13:51,698 --> 00:13:54,100 to join up for these annual aggregations 256 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:56,803 that have been documented in the Gulf of Mexico 257 00:13:56,803 --> 00:14:00,973 during the late summer months. 258 00:14:00,973 --> 00:14:03,109 In recent years, the fish have also been gathering 259 00:14:03,109 --> 00:14:06,012 in the Atlantic, near Jupiter. 260 00:14:06,012 --> 00:14:10,216 It is suspected that these might be spawning sites as well, 261 00:14:10,216 --> 00:14:13,086 and to test that hypothesis, Tony and the scientists 262 00:14:13,086 --> 00:14:19,025 head back out later in the day to study the aggregation sites. 263 00:14:19,025 --> 00:14:22,295 But will they be able to gather goliath grouper eggs, 264 00:14:22,295 --> 00:14:27,900 the ultimate proof that spawning is taking place? 265 00:14:27,900 --> 00:14:29,869 >>The information that we've gotten from studies 266 00:14:29,869 --> 00:14:33,005 done on sound output by goliath grouper 267 00:14:33,005 --> 00:14:36,576 during spawning indicate that they spawn around 268 00:14:36,576 --> 00:14:38,811 a new moon on dark nights, 269 00:14:38,811 --> 00:14:42,749 somewhere between midnight and 3:00 AM in the morning. 270 00:14:42,749 --> 00:14:47,353 And this is evidence, as I said, but we don't have any real proof 271 00:14:47,353 --> 00:14:50,390 that they're doing this, and proof would constitute 272 00:14:50,390 --> 00:14:52,992 collecting their fertilized eggs. 273 00:14:52,992 --> 00:14:55,395 >>NARRATOR: Chris deploys plankton nets in the water 274 00:14:55,395 --> 00:14:58,865 at night, in hopes of catching some eggs. 275 00:14:58,865 --> 00:15:01,100 Meanwhile, his colleague, Jim Locascio, 276 00:15:01,100 --> 00:15:05,238 who studies fish acoustics, prepares to deploy a hydrophone 277 00:15:05,238 --> 00:15:07,473 in the vicinity of the nets. 278 00:15:07,473 --> 00:15:10,143 >>The dominant sounds tonight in this environment 279 00:15:10,143 --> 00:15:12,245 are probably going to be by the goliath grouper 280 00:15:12,245 --> 00:15:14,580 at an expected spawning location. 281 00:15:14,580 --> 00:15:18,184 Sounds produced by many species of fish are done so 282 00:15:18,184 --> 00:15:21,988 in a specific behavioral context, most often 283 00:15:21,988 --> 00:15:24,924 it's associated with courtship and spawning. 284 00:15:24,924 --> 00:15:28,227 And in most cases, almost without exception 285 00:15:28,227 --> 00:15:30,563 it is the male that produces the sound, 286 00:15:30,563 --> 00:15:34,700 courting advertising, for a female. 287 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:36,869 This is a hydrophone that is connected to the top 288 00:15:36,869 --> 00:15:39,806 of the housing and it is just like an underwater microphone; 289 00:15:39,806 --> 00:15:41,441 it is going to be recording ambient sounds 290 00:15:41,441 --> 00:15:45,411 in a frequency range that is within the sounds 291 00:15:45,411 --> 00:15:47,447 made by the goliath grouper, which is quite low, 292 00:15:47,447 --> 00:15:50,750 below 100 hertz about 40 or 50 hertz, 293 00:15:50,750 --> 00:15:52,351 very low frequencies. 294 00:15:52,351 --> 00:15:54,821 >>All right, it's on the bottom, Tony. 295 00:15:54,821 --> 00:15:57,890 >>NARRATOR: If this location is indeed a spawning site, 296 00:15:57,890 --> 00:15:59,759 the dominant sounds recorded 297 00:15:59,759 --> 00:16:03,763 should be those of the goliath grouper. 298 00:16:06,265 --> 00:16:09,902 Goliath grouper are famous for the very loud booming sounds 299 00:16:09,902 --> 00:16:13,039 they make-- not just to attract potential mates-- 300 00:16:13,039 --> 00:16:15,141 but also as a defense mechanism 301 00:16:15,141 --> 00:16:18,744 to scare off potential predators. 302 00:16:18,744 --> 00:16:21,747 >>They're very deep resonating booms and they make them 303 00:16:21,747 --> 00:16:24,116 with their swim bladder and muscles that are attached 304 00:16:24,116 --> 00:16:25,284 to the swim bladder. 305 00:16:25,284 --> 00:16:27,787 They vibrate those muscles at a rapid speed, 306 00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:31,157 say 100 times a second or in that range. 307 00:16:31,157 --> 00:16:35,728 The closest thing I can liken it to on land is like a sonic boom. 308 00:16:35,728 --> 00:16:37,563 >>Oftentimes divers are able to feel the sound 309 00:16:37,563 --> 00:16:38,631 before they hear it. 310 00:16:38,631 --> 00:16:42,001 And you feel it in your lungs, it's a concussion 311 00:16:42,001 --> 00:16:44,237 from that pressure. 312 00:16:44,237 --> 00:16:48,074 And so it's quite intimidating as a diver if you aren't aware 313 00:16:48,074 --> 00:16:49,542 the fish is around. 314 00:16:49,542 --> 00:16:54,914 >>They do not appear to have a diverse vocabulary, 315 00:16:54,914 --> 00:16:57,950 that is the sounds that are produced 316 00:16:57,950 --> 00:17:01,087 when divers approach them also seems to be the same sounds 317 00:17:01,087 --> 00:17:05,091 that they produce with and amongst each other. 318 00:17:07,827 --> 00:17:13,032 >>NARRATOR: Now it's time to sit and wait. 319 00:17:18,004 --> 00:17:19,372 Early the next morning... 320 00:17:19,372 --> 00:17:20,973 >>Just keep pulling. 321 00:17:20,973 --> 00:17:21,974 >>NARRATOR: ...Chris and Jim retrieve 322 00:17:21,974 --> 00:17:25,111 the nets and hydrophone. 323 00:17:25,111 --> 00:17:27,680 Once ashore, the nets are washed down 324 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:30,416 and their contents put through a sieve. 325 00:17:30,416 --> 00:17:34,020 >>It's fairly easy to separate the eggs from other plankton. 326 00:17:34,020 --> 00:17:38,124 And then, because of their stage of development and their size, 327 00:17:38,124 --> 00:17:40,493 we should be able to select goliath grouper eggs 328 00:17:40,493 --> 00:17:43,496 from whatever else we catch because they should be 329 00:17:43,496 --> 00:17:45,097 in very early stages of development 330 00:17:45,097 --> 00:17:48,000 when we pull our nets. 331 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:49,702 >>NARRATOR: While Chris is taking a close look 332 00:17:49,702 --> 00:17:52,138 at the plankton under the microscope, 333 00:17:52,138 --> 00:17:56,042 Jim analyzes the sound he recorded on location. 334 00:17:56,042 --> 00:17:59,378 >>We recorded a lot of low frequency pulse sounds 335 00:17:59,378 --> 00:18:01,380 that you can see as the brighter signals 336 00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:04,183 along the bottom of the picture here of the spectrogram 337 00:18:04,183 --> 00:18:09,622 and most of this energy is at 100 hertz or below 100 hertz. 338 00:18:09,622 --> 00:18:12,158 So there's a series of individual calls 339 00:18:12,158 --> 00:18:14,827 that we can zoom in on and look closely at 340 00:18:14,827 --> 00:18:19,832 and identify the fish as a goliath grouper. 341 00:18:19,832 --> 00:18:21,567 >>NARRATOR: Jim's sound recordings indicate 342 00:18:21,567 --> 00:18:25,805 that the scientists documented a spawning aggregation. 343 00:18:25,805 --> 00:18:28,140 But the ultimate proof is in the eggs, 344 00:18:28,140 --> 00:18:32,211 thousands of which Chris collected in his nets. 345 00:18:32,211 --> 00:18:35,514 Later DNA tests of these eggs confirmed what scientists 346 00:18:35,514 --> 00:18:39,385 were hoping for: that goliath grouper are spawning again 347 00:18:39,385 --> 00:18:44,957 on Florida's east coast. 348 00:18:44,957 --> 00:18:48,060 Once the fertilized eggs hatch, the larvae will float 349 00:18:48,060 --> 00:18:51,631 in the plankton for about a month and a half. 350 00:18:51,631 --> 00:18:54,767 >>They hatch out probably in a day and a half. 351 00:18:54,767 --> 00:18:57,236 But when they hatch out, they don't have any mouths 352 00:18:57,236 --> 00:18:59,138 and they don't have any eyes. 353 00:18:59,138 --> 00:19:01,007 So, they're simply floating around, 354 00:19:01,007 --> 00:19:03,209 still living off of their yolk material. 355 00:19:03,209 --> 00:19:07,680 And over the next week or so, they develop mouth and eyes 356 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,416 and they learn how to feed. 357 00:19:10,416 --> 00:19:12,518 And then there's the growth period, and by the time 358 00:19:12,518 --> 00:19:14,954 they settle, they're about three-quarters of an inch 359 00:19:14,954 --> 00:19:16,188 in total length. 360 00:19:16,188 --> 00:19:19,859 They undergo this metamorphosis that takes about a week, 361 00:19:19,859 --> 00:19:21,427 and then they're little groupers 362 00:19:21,427 --> 00:19:23,596 and they live in the mangrove leaf litter 363 00:19:23,596 --> 00:19:26,499 in the earliest stages and then move to the undercuts 364 00:19:26,499 --> 00:19:28,434 in the mangrove habitat. 365 00:19:28,434 --> 00:19:30,770 >>NARRATOR: The fish will spend their juvenile years 366 00:19:30,770 --> 00:19:34,073 in the mangrove forests using the mangrove's prop roots 367 00:19:34,073 --> 00:19:38,244 as protective cover from potential predators. 368 00:19:40,279 --> 00:19:42,848 North America's largest remaining mangrove forest 369 00:19:42,848 --> 00:19:47,386 is in the Ten Thousand Islands area of southwest Florida, 370 00:19:47,386 --> 00:19:51,557 the main stronghold for juvenile goliath grouper. 371 00:19:51,557 --> 00:19:56,529 >>We lost 28% of the mangroves in the 10,000 islands area 372 00:19:56,529 --> 00:19:59,565 just between the mid-'80s and the mid-'90s. 373 00:19:59,565 --> 00:20:03,135 That's a significant loss, considering it went on 374 00:20:03,135 --> 00:20:07,573 since the beginning of the 1900s for mosquito abatement, 375 00:20:07,573 --> 00:20:10,609 for agriculture, for just development 376 00:20:10,609 --> 00:20:12,578 of all of south Florida. 377 00:20:12,578 --> 00:20:14,814 The east coast essentially has no mangroves 378 00:20:14,814 --> 00:20:16,549 of consequence anymore. 379 00:20:16,549 --> 00:20:20,152 So there's a tight connection between the habitat availabilit 380 00:20:20,152 --> 00:20:24,190 and the success of this species. 381 00:20:24,190 --> 00:20:26,859 >>NARRATOR: And it's not just availability of juvenile habitat 382 00:20:26,859 --> 00:20:29,628 that matters, but the quality of that habitat 383 00:20:29,628 --> 00:20:31,931 is important as well. 384 00:20:31,931 --> 00:20:34,567 >>Water quality for goliath grouper, 385 00:20:34,567 --> 00:20:37,436 like most species, is important. 386 00:20:37,436 --> 00:20:41,440 It's particularly an issue in the juvenile habitat. 387 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,176 We looked at them in a really pristine area 388 00:20:44,176 --> 00:20:47,279 in the Ten Thousand Islands, which is just incredible; 389 00:20:47,279 --> 00:20:49,415 but there are a number of rivers and canals 390 00:20:49,415 --> 00:20:53,219 that lead into that body of water. 391 00:20:53,219 --> 00:20:56,956 For one reason or another, the water quality is very poor. 392 00:20:56,956 --> 00:21:01,127 And what happens in those areas is that the densit 393 00:21:01,127 --> 00:21:04,163 of goliath grouper is not very high. 394 00:21:04,163 --> 00:21:06,932 So if you think about how you want to go about 395 00:21:06,932 --> 00:21:11,036 protecting a species like goliath grouper, 396 00:21:11,036 --> 00:21:14,406 it takes more than closing down the fishery. 397 00:21:14,406 --> 00:21:16,442 You need to protect the quality of water, 398 00:21:16,442 --> 00:21:22,748 the extent of the habitat, and keep fishing at a minimum. 399 00:21:22,748 --> 00:21:25,618 >>NARRATOR: Goliath grouper are easy to exploit. 400 00:21:25,618 --> 00:21:28,187 They aren't difficult to catch, and they can be found 401 00:21:28,187 --> 00:21:31,991 in large groups during the summer aggregations. 402 00:21:31,991 --> 00:21:33,993 >>They're relatively slow to mature. 403 00:21:33,993 --> 00:21:37,029 They're staying in the mangroves for five or six years. 404 00:21:37,029 --> 00:21:39,865 And when they first go offshore, 405 00:21:39,865 --> 00:21:43,402 they're not necessarily mature at that time. 406 00:21:43,402 --> 00:21:45,137 And yet, you're talking about 407 00:21:45,137 --> 00:21:49,108 an animal that's 50, 60, 70 pounds 408 00:21:49,108 --> 00:21:52,111 and it's still a juvenile. 409 00:21:52,111 --> 00:21:55,281 >>They become sexually mature at about four feet in length. 410 00:21:55,281 --> 00:21:58,584 And so, they become sexually mature as a function of size, 411 00:21:58,584 --> 00:22:00,052 rather than age. 412 00:22:00,052 --> 00:22:01,921 >>NARRATOR: While some grouper species 413 00:22:01,921 --> 00:22:04,356 change sex during their lifetime, 414 00:22:04,356 --> 00:22:07,092 Chris and Felicia say no such evidence exists 415 00:22:07,092 --> 00:22:10,930 for the goliath grouper. 416 00:22:10,930 --> 00:22:14,300 Scientists and many others are excited that the goliath grouper 417 00:22:14,300 --> 00:22:17,469 population is on the road to recovery. 418 00:22:17,469 --> 00:22:21,373 Walt Stearns is a professional photographer, 419 00:22:21,373 --> 00:22:23,676 who also publishes an online magazine 420 00:22:23,676 --> 00:22:26,378 called "Underwater Journal." 421 00:22:26,378 --> 00:22:28,848 His career has taken him to underwater locations 422 00:22:28,848 --> 00:22:31,584 all over the world, and he is delighted to see 423 00:22:31,584 --> 00:22:35,287 the fish make such a steady comeback in Florida. 424 00:22:35,287 --> 00:22:37,656 >>At the same time I was working for dive magazines 425 00:22:37,656 --> 00:22:40,292 covering central and southern Caribbean and the Bahamas, 426 00:22:40,292 --> 00:22:43,929 and I'm watching all grouper populations just diminish. 427 00:22:43,929 --> 00:22:46,966 Each time I went back I'd see less of them, see smaller fish. 428 00:22:46,966 --> 00:22:50,970 And here I'm seeing the goliath grouper come back. 429 00:22:50,970 --> 00:22:54,206 This is incredible to see protection work. 430 00:22:54,206 --> 00:22:58,077 >>NARRATOR: Unfortunately, not everyone shares his view. 431 00:22:58,077 --> 00:23:00,579 Some fishermen not only claim the grouper are eating 432 00:23:00,579 --> 00:23:03,782 all their game fish, but they also accuse the species 433 00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:06,986 of being aggressive towards them. 434 00:23:06,986 --> 00:23:08,654 >>I've never had any of them get aggressive. 435 00:23:08,654 --> 00:23:11,690 But, you know, some people will sit there and give these stories 436 00:23:11,690 --> 00:23:14,226 and it's like, "It came out and grabbed me and grabbed my arm 437 00:23:14,226 --> 00:23:15,661 and shook me like a rag doll." 438 00:23:15,661 --> 00:23:16,662 And I was like, really? 439 00:23:16,662 --> 00:23:18,898 I've never had that happen yet. 440 00:23:18,898 --> 00:23:20,633 I mean, they're big enough and strong enough 441 00:23:20,633 --> 00:23:23,302 where they physically can really hurt you, 442 00:23:23,302 --> 00:23:28,173 but for the most part they're big babies. 443 00:23:28,173 --> 00:23:30,910 >>NARRATOR: On his web site, Spearboard.com, 444 00:23:30,910 --> 00:23:34,713 Tony hears from folks on all sides of the issue. 445 00:23:34,713 --> 00:23:37,950 >>The internet is a big, wild and wooly place, 446 00:23:37,950 --> 00:23:40,352 and there are opinions all over. 447 00:23:40,352 --> 00:23:45,057 What I try to do is just take the middle road 448 00:23:45,057 --> 00:23:47,593 and ask questions about do we know enough 449 00:23:47,593 --> 00:23:50,596 to make an intelligent decision 450 00:23:50,596 --> 00:23:55,200 about any kind of fishery management decision. 451 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,469 >>NARRATOR: Both scientists Felicia and Chris agree 452 00:23:57,469 --> 00:24:00,306 that while the grouper's recovery is encouraging, 453 00:24:00,306 --> 00:24:03,542 it is too early to reopen the fishery. 454 00:24:03,542 --> 00:24:06,879 >>When you've got a species that's critically endangered 455 00:24:06,879 --> 00:24:10,149 throughout its range, and you have one area 456 00:24:10,149 --> 00:24:12,351 where it's recovering, 457 00:24:12,351 --> 00:24:15,020 that being the southeastern United States, 458 00:24:15,020 --> 00:24:19,024 it doesn't make sense to open a fishery again, 459 00:24:19,024 --> 00:24:21,627 even at reduced levels, when we really don't understand 460 00:24:21,627 --> 00:24:24,797 what the population's doing yet. 461 00:24:24,797 --> 00:24:26,398 >>I think that until the entire population 462 00:24:26,398 --> 00:24:28,434 has recovered throughout its former range, 463 00:24:28,434 --> 00:24:32,037 there should be no harvest of goliath grouper. 464 00:24:35,674 --> 00:24:37,576 >>NARRATOR: Below the water's surface, 465 00:24:37,576 --> 00:24:41,113 the goliath grouper is oblivious to the controvers 466 00:24:41,113 --> 00:24:45,551 it has stirred up on land. 467 00:24:45,551 --> 00:24:48,387 It goes about its business like its ancestors 468 00:24:48,387 --> 00:24:51,724 have done for ages. 469 00:24:51,724 --> 00:24:54,159 Most people, who have had the privilege of seeing 470 00:24:54,159 --> 00:24:57,997 these fish up close, especially in large numbers, 471 00:24:57,997 --> 00:25:02,434 agree that they are an awesome sight to behold. 472 00:25:02,434 --> 00:25:04,737 One that will hopefully be around 473 00:25:04,737 --> 00:25:08,507 for many future generations to enjoy. 474 00:25:08,507 --> 00:25:11,510 >>It's hard to think of anybod 475 00:25:11,510 --> 00:25:13,479 who couldn't be fascinated by them. 476 00:25:13,479 --> 00:25:17,750 They're fabulous fish and they're a key feature 477 00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:22,488 of the ecology of this part of the world. 478 00:25:22,488 --> 00:25:24,623 >>I think it's one of those animals that's worth a lot more 479 00:25:24,623 --> 00:25:26,125 alive than dead. 480 00:25:26,125 --> 00:25:28,794 People can go out to the reef and these wrecks and see 481 00:25:28,794 --> 00:25:31,730 these fish over and over again, take pictures of it. 482 00:25:31,730 --> 00:25:35,401 It's just you kill it one time and it's over with, that's it, 483 00:25:35,401 --> 00:25:38,771 a fish that took 30 or 50 years to get to that size. 484 00:25:38,771 --> 00:25:40,973 I just think it's something that is unique to south Florida, 485 00:25:40,973 --> 00:25:43,008 there's nowhere else in the world where you can go 486 00:25:43,008 --> 00:25:45,511 where it is documented to see these large aggregations 487 00:25:45,511 --> 00:25:50,516 of big groupers like this. 488 00:26:21,847 --> 00:26:23,949 >>Major funding for this program 489 00:26:23,949 --> 00:26:26,218 was provided by the Batchelor Foundation, 490 00:26:26,218 --> 00:26:29,121 Encouraging people to preserve and protect 491 00:26:29,121 --> 00:26:33,121 America's underwater resources.