Goliath Grouper Steals Fisherman's Catch, Drags Him Some Distances [Watch]

A diver was spearfishing at a wreck site in the northern Gulf of Mexico. However, a goliath grouper was seemingly following him to ambush his catch.

Fisherman Vs. Goliath Grouper

AZ Animals obtained footage of a fisherman spearfishing off Apalachicola, Florida. He came across a goliath grouper that attempted to ambush its catch, and it successfully did after multiple attempts.

According to the outlet, the fisherman was spearing, and a goliath grouper appeared out of nowhere three times. The first time, the fish was unsuccessful. The second time, the grouper successfully stole the catch and even bent the spear.

On the third time, it grabbed the fish and dragged the fisherman along for some distance before it let go. But this time, it was unsuccessful in stealing the catch.

It's possible that the grouper had been observing the fisherman as they are intelligent ambush predators, according to AZ Animals.

The video received several responses from netizens who found the footage amazing and hilarious at the same time. Although the fisherman was underwater, there was audible rage, according to netizens.

One jokingly said he thought one should stay calm underwater, but the man in the video seemingly screamed at the giant grouper. Another noted that goliath groupers were almost fished to extinction, and they were back to troll a fisherman.

A commercial diver, marine biologist, and fellow spearfisherman said he couldn't help but laugh at the video. However, he said the man was blessed to see so many goliath grouper.

A different commenter wondered why the fisherman didn't go after the goliath grouper instead, as it had been trying to steal his catch. Another explained that the fish is critically endangered and killing them is illegal.

A different online user said the man in the clip was the greatest and funniest spearfisherman he had ever seen. He also sympathized with him, adding that he would react similarly if it were him.

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What's a Goliath Grouper?

The Atlantic Goliath grouper has spent millions of years modifying reefs on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. The health and biological diversity of the ecosystems they inhabit depends on it since it is a natural and fundamental part of Florida's reef ecology, according to MarineLab.

Goliath grouper is the largest of the grouper species. It could grow to approximately 2 m (about 6 ft) and weigh over 455 kg (800 lbs).

Adults have relatively long lives. However, some of them, at least 37 years old, have been found in exploited populations. It's plausible that older fish exist in unfished populations.

The population of Atlantic Goliath Grouper declined to economic extinction due to heavy fishing pressure in the 1970s and 1980s, which led to the disappearance of numerous aggregations. A solitary grouper fisher submitted a request for a fishing moratorium to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) because of the ongoing decline, and it received little to no response.

Federal waterways in the southeast of the United States were closed to fishing by both the GMFMC and the South Atlantic FMC entirely in 1990 and the entire Caribbean in 1993. The Goliath Grouper was added to the Endangered Species List (ESL) in 1991 throughout its range in the United States.