Unveiling the first steps of juvenile Atlantic goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara (Perciformes: Epinephelidae) in a tropical estuary at the southwestern Atlantic coast

ABSTRACT

The Atlantic goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara is the largest grouper in the Atlantic Ocean, currently classified as vulnerable by IUCN red list. The present study aimed to assess the occurrence of juvenile Atlantic goliath grouper in a tropical estuary on the southeastern Brazilian coast. The sample collections were performed from April to November 2015 and from March 2018 to October 2019. A total of 265 juveniles ranging from 5.4–50.5 cm were sampled, from which 148 individuals were tagged using pit tags. Seventeen (11.5%) of the total tagged individuals were recaptured at least once over time, with two specimens recaptured on two different occasions. Some recaptures occurred in less than a week, while others occurred after six months. The length–weight-relationship of all juveniles resulted in a negative allometric growth pattern. These findings suggest that the estuary represents a suitable and important habitat for juvenile Atlantic goliath grouper.

KEYWORDS:

• Conservation
• endangered species
• non-lethal methodology
• reef fish

Acknowledgements

The authors express sincere thanks to the fishers Juliana Lopes Clarindo, Romildo Lopes, and Nador Luiz Muniz (In Memoriam) for fieldwork activities throughout the years, and all the fishing communities throughout the study area (Pontal do Sul, Meleiras, Barreiras, and Conceição da Barra). We thank the PMB-ES team for the sample collection and preparation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Meros do Brasil Project (PMB) sponsored by Petrobras (contract number 5850.0105503.17.2), and FAPES (EDITAL FAPES N° 21/2018 – UNIVERSAL). The main author thanks FAPES for the master's scholarship (EDITAL FAPES N° 14/2019 – PROCAP 2020). L Almeida thanks CAPES for the scholarships (PDS - 88882.385188/2019-01). M Hostim-Silva thanks the research fellowship provided by CNPq (Proc. 312278/2017-9) and FAPES for the Research Support Programme grant (T.O: 221/2019).