Comment from Jorge Figueroa, Trigger Seafood Corp.

Most if not all of the grouper I work with is Atlantic Black Grouper. On occasions I've received a small amount of Gag Grouper and rarely if any at all, Red Grouper, this is due to poor fillet yields and parasites within the Red Grouper commonly seen. But, with recent issues concerning SWG and their seasonal closure, my main concern is not so much the length of the seasonal closure, but the time. I am not sure just how much research has been conducted in this area between the reproductive stage and the spawning stage. To my knowledge, most SWG, espically the black grouper, moves into shallow water during the winter months for reproduction purpose, and later in the warmer season, moves out for spawning. Unfortunately, even with the current seasonal closure, I have fillet Black Grouper in the month of May, after opening season, I find that their belly is full of eggs, so most of grouper I've encountered have not yet been giving the time necessary to spawn IMHO. Maybe, further research is needed to confirm that the season should be closed further into the Summer Months, versus the early Winter, such as Jan, Feb. & March. Its possible the closure should take place b/w April-June.