TAMPA, Fla. – Florida is lifting its three-decade ban on catching and killing goliath groupers.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted Thursday to allow the catching of 200 younger goliaths of between 2- and 3-feet in length annually.
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That would put them at about 30 pounds.
Adult goliaths typically weigh 400 pounds but can exceed 800 pounds.
While the species’ population is unknown, state officials believe it has grown enough to allow the limited catch, the first since the early 1990s.
Anglers who want to catch a goliath would have to enter a lottery.
The harvest season will run from March 1 through May 31 and spearfishing will be prohibited.