Black Grouper
Black Grouper
Mycteroperca bonaci
Also Known As
Grouper, Blackfin grouper, Marbled rockfish
Quick Facts
Region
New England/Mid-Atlantic,
Southeast
Black grouper at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA National Ocean Service
Black grouper at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA National Ocean Service
About the Species
U.S. wild-caught black grouper is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Population
The Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic stock is not overfished.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impact
Fishing gears used to harvest black grouper have minimal impacts on habitat.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Population Status
- There are four stocks of black grouper: a Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic stock, and three Caribbean stocks contained in the Puerto Rico Grouper 4 Complex, the St. Croix Grouper 5 Complex, and the St. Thomas/St. John Grouper 4 Complex. According to the most recent stock assessments:
- The Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic stock is not overfished (2010 stock assessment), and is not subject to overfishing based on 2022 catch data. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
- In the Caribbean, black grouper is part of the Puerto Rico Grouper 4 Complex and is not assessed so the overfished status is unknown. This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2019 catch data.
- In the Caribbean, black grouper is part of the St. Croix Grouper 5 Complex and is not assessed so the overfished status is unknown. This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2021 catch data.
- In the Caribbean, black grouper is part of the St. Thomas/St. John Grouper 4 Complex and is not assessed so the overfished status is unknown. This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2021 catch data.
Appearance
- Black grouper have an olive or gray body, with black blotches and brassy spots.
- Their cheeks are gently rounded.
Biology
- Black grouper grow up to five feet long and can weigh up to 180 pounds.
- They can live up to 30 years old.
- They begin life as a female and some change into males as they grow – usually between two and four feet in length or 11 and 14 years old.
- The overall sex ratio is generally one male for every four females.
- Black grouper are solitary fish until spawning season, May through August, where they aggregate and spawn in huge numbers.
- Eggs are fertilized externally, and float with the currents.
- Young black grouper feed on crustaceans, mostly shrimp.
- Adults feed on other fish and squid.
- Black grouper have large, powerful jaws that they use to ambush their prey.
- They do not have teeth, and instead use their mouth and gills to suck up their prey.
- They also have teeth plates inside their throat that prevent prey from escaping after being swallowed.
- Black grouper take advantage of other species’ reproductive aggregations for feeding.
- Sharks prey upon large black grouper, while other grouper and moray eels prey upon smaller ones.
Where They Live
Range
- Black grouper are found in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil.
- They are particularly associated with the southern Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Cuba, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean.
- The U.S. stock primarily occurs in the Florida Keys.
Habitat
- Juvenile black grouper can occur in seagrass and oyster rubble habitat in the Carolinas, and along reefs in the Florida Keys and in Brazil.
- Adults prefer rocky bottoms, drop-off walls and ledges, caves, crevices, and coral and artificial reefs.
- Black grouper are relatively sedentary and can remain in one particular site for some time.
- They move to progressively deeper waters as they age.
- They are found inshore up to depths of 656 feet (200 meters).
- Adults are solitary, but in some instances form small groups.
- Adults make seasonal migrations to spawning sites where they form large spawning aggregations.
Fishery Management
- NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils manage the black grouper fishery:
- In the South Atlantic, managed under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan:
- Commercial fishermen must have a permit to fish, land, or sell black grouper. Managers limit the number of available permits to control the number of fishermen harvesting black grouper.
- Annual catch limits are used for black grouper in the commercial and recreational fisheries. These fisheries are closed when their annual catch limit is projected to be met.
- Both the commercial and recreational fisheries have size limits to reduce harvest of immature black grouper.
- The commercial and recreational fishing seasons are closed from January through April to protect black grouper during their peak spawning period.
- Gear restrictions are used to reduce bycatch and protect habitat.
- There are eight deep-water marine protected areas and several spawning special management zones to protect habitats. The Oculina Experimental Closed Area is closed to fishing for and possession of all snappers and groupers to protect deepwater coral habitat and the reef fish it supports.
- In the Gulf of Mexico, managed under the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan:
- Commercial vessels must have a reef fish permit and individual fishing quota (IFQ) allocation to harvest black grouper.
- Black grouper is part of the Other Shallow-Water Grouper catch share category in the IFQ program.
- The annual catch limit is allocated between the commercial (76 percent) and recreational (24 percent) fisheries.
- The IFQ program (catch shares) allocates the commercial catch limit among shareholders with measures to prevent fishermen from harvesting more than their individual allocation.
- To reduce bycatch, there are restrictions on the type of gear fishermen may use and where they can fish.
- Minimum size limits protect immature black grouper.
- Year-round and/or seasonal area closures for commercial and recreational sectors to protect spawning groupers.
- Commercial data reporting requirements.
- In the U.S. Caribbean, managed under the Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan, the St. Croix Fishery Management Plan, and the St. Thomas and St. John Fishery Management Plan:
- Managed with other groupers under each fishery management plan: Grouper 4 complex in Puerto Rico (black, red, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowmouth groupers), Grouper 5 complex in St. Croix (black, red, tiger, and yellowfin groupers), and Grouper 4 (black, red, tiger, and yellowfin groupers) complex in St. Thomas and St. John.
- Commercial and recreational annual catch limits for the Grouper 5 complex in Puerto Rico and commercial annual catch limits for the two Grouper 4 complexes in St. Croix and St. Thomas/S. John.
- Seasonal closure for black grouper in federal waters around Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas/St. John from February 1 through April 30 each year.
Harvest
- Commercial fishery:
- In 2022, commercial landings of black grouper totaled 76,000 pounds and were valued at more than $470,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database. There are limited landings in the U.S. Caribbean.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Commercial fishermen mainly use hook-and-line gear, including longlines and handlines, to harvest black grouper.
- Trawl gear, fish traps, and bottom longlines are prohibited in some areas to reduce bycatch. Several areas are closed to all fishing to protect snappers and groupers, including black grouper.
- Sea turtles and other reef fishes, such as snappers and groupers, can be incidentally caught while fishing for black grouper.
- In certain areas, fishermen are required to use circle hooks to improve the chance of survival of any unintentionally caught fish and to reduce turtle hookings.
- Commercial and charterboat/headboat reef fish fishermen must use appropriate release gear and follow handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for any incidentally caught sea turtles.
- Fishermen are encouraged to use venting tools or fish descenders when fish are caught showing signs of barotrauma. Barotrauma occurs when reef fish are quickly brought to the surface by hook-and-line and the gas in their swim bladders expands. Venting tools help deflate the expanded abdominal cavity, potentially reduce injury to the fish, and make it easier to return to deep water.
- Recreational fishery:
- Black grouper is a popular fish among recreational fishermen in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean.
- In 2022, recreational anglers landed 207,000 pounds of black grouper, according to the NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing landings database.
- In the South Atlantic:
- Annual catch limits and accountability measures.
- Bag and size limits.
- The fishery is closed during the spawning season (from January through April).
- In the Gulf of Mexico:
- Annual catch limits and accountability measures.
- Bag and size limits.
- The fishery is closed during the spawning season (from February 1 through March 31) in deep water (greater than 120 feet) to protect spawning aggregations.
- In the U.S. Caribbean:
- Annual catch limits
- Seasonal closure for black, red, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowedge groupers from February 1 through April 30.
- Bag and vessel limits.
Scientific Classification
- Black grouper are found in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil.
- They are particularly associated with the southern Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Cuba, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean.
- The U.S. stock primarily occurs in the Florida Keys.
- Juvenile black grouper can occur in seagrass and oyster rubble habitat in the Carolinas, and along reefs in the Florida Keys and in Brazil.
- Adults prefer rocky bottoms, drop-off walls and ledges, caves, crevices, and coral and artificial reefs.
- Black grouper are relatively sedentary and can remain in one particular site for some time.
- They move to progressively deeper waters as they age.
- They are found inshore up to depths of 656 feet (200 meters).
- Adults are solitary, but in some instances form small groups.
- Adults make seasonal migrations to spawning sites where they form large spawning aggregations.
Fishery Management
- NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils manage the black grouper fishery:
- In the South Atlantic, managed under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan:
- Commercial fishermen must have a permit to fish, land, or sell black grouper. Managers limit the number of available permits to control the number of fishermen harvesting black grouper.
- Annual catch limits are used for black grouper in the commercial and recreational fisheries. These fisheries are closed when their annual catch limit is projected to be met.
- Both the commercial and recreational fisheries have size limits to reduce harvest of immature black grouper.
- The commercial and recreational fishing seasons are closed from January through April to protect black grouper during their peak spawning period.
- Gear restrictions are used to reduce bycatch and protect habitat.
- There are eight deep-water marine protected areas and several spawning special management zones to protect habitats. The Oculina Experimental Closed Area is closed to fishing for and possession of all snappers and groupers to protect deepwater coral habitat and the reef fish it supports.
- In the Gulf of Mexico, managed under the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan:
- Commercial vessels must have a reef fish permit and individual fishing quota (IFQ) allocation to harvest black grouper.
- Black grouper is part of the Other Shallow-Water Grouper catch share category in the IFQ program.
- The annual catch limit is allocated between the commercial (76 percent) and recreational (24 percent) fisheries.
- The IFQ program (catch shares) allocates the commercial catch limit among shareholders with measures to prevent fishermen from harvesting more than their individual allocation.
- To reduce bycatch, there are restrictions on the type of gear fishermen may use and where they can fish.
- Minimum size limits protect immature black grouper.
- Year-round and/or seasonal area closures for commercial and recreational sectors to protect spawning groupers.
- Commercial data reporting requirements.
- In the U.S. Caribbean, managed under the Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan, the St. Croix Fishery Management Plan, and the St. Thomas and St. John Fishery Management Plan:
- Managed with other groupers under each fishery management plan: Grouper 4 complex in Puerto Rico (black, red, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowmouth groupers), Grouper 5 complex in St. Croix (black, red, tiger, and yellowfin groupers), and Grouper 4 (black, red, tiger, and yellowfin groupers) complex in St. Thomas and St. John.
- Commercial and recreational annual catch limits for the Grouper 5 complex in Puerto Rico and commercial annual catch limits for the two Grouper 4 complexes in St. Croix and St. Thomas/S. John.
- Seasonal closure for black grouper in federal waters around Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas/St. John from February 1 through April 30 each year.
Harvest
- Commercial fishery:
- In 2022, commercial landings of black grouper totaled 76,000 pounds and were valued at more than $470,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database. There are limited landings in the U.S. Caribbean.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Commercial fishermen mainly use hook-and-line gear, including longlines and handlines, to harvest black grouper.
- Trawl gear, fish traps, and bottom longlines are prohibited in some areas to reduce bycatch. Several areas are closed to all fishing to protect snappers and groupers, including black grouper.
- Sea turtles and other reef fishes, such as snappers and groupers, can be incidentally caught while fishing for black grouper.
- In certain areas, fishermen are required to use circle hooks to improve the chance of survival of any unintentionally caught fish and to reduce turtle hookings.
- Commercial and charterboat/headboat reef fish fishermen must use appropriate release gear and follow handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for any incidentally caught sea turtles.
- Fishermen are encouraged to use venting tools or fish descenders when fish are caught showing signs of barotrauma. Barotrauma occurs when reef fish are quickly brought to the surface by hook-and-line and the gas in their swim bladders expands. Venting tools help deflate the expanded abdominal cavity, potentially reduce injury to the fish, and make it easier to return to deep water.
- Recreational fishery:
- Black grouper is a popular fish among recreational fishermen in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean.
- In 2022, recreational anglers landed 207,000 pounds of black grouper, according to the NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing landings database.
- In the South Atlantic:
- Annual catch limits and accountability measures.
- Bag and size limits.
- The fishery is closed during the spawning season (from January through April).
- In the Gulf of Mexico:
- Annual catch limits and accountability measures.
- Bag and size limits.
- The fishery is closed during the spawning season (from February 1 through March 31) in deep water (greater than 120 feet) to protect spawning aggregations.
- In the U.S. Caribbean:
- Annual catch limits
- Seasonal closure for black, red, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowedge groupers from February 1 through April 30.
- Bag and vessel limits.
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Actinopterygii | Order | Perciformes | Family | Serranidae | Genus | Mycteroperca | Species | bonaci |
|---|
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Seafood Facts
Is Black Grouper Sustainable?
U.S. wild-caught black grouper is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Availability
Year-round in the Gulf of Mexico. There are seasonal closures from January through April in the South Atlantic and from February through April in the U.S Caribbean.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from South Carolina to Florida, and in the Caribbean.
Taste
Grouper has a mild but distinct flavor, somewhere between bass and halibut. Gag is sometimes mistakenly referred to as black grouper in the market. The two species are very similar in taste and texture.
Texture
Firm.
Health Benefits
Grouper is low in saturated fat. It is a good source of vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, potassium, protein and selenium.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1; Serving Weight: 100 g (raw); Calories: 92; Protein: 19.38 g; Total Fat: 1.02 g; Total Saturated Fatty Acids: 0.233 g; Carbohydrate: 0 g; Total Sugars: 0 g; Total Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Cholesterol: 37 mg; Selenium: 36.5 mcg; Sodium: 53 mgSeafood News
Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Brianna Shaughnessy
An oyster reef with lush greenery in the background. Credit: Adobe Stock
A fisherman unloading their catch at dock. Credit: NOAA Fisheries