At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Nassau grouper is a large Caribbean reef fish once central to local fisheries. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It gathers in large spawning aggregations that are easily overfished.
Range & habitat
Coral reefs of the western Atlantic and Caribbean.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Overfishing, especially at spawning aggregations
- Habitat loss
Why it matters
A reef predator whose predictable spawning gatherings make it acutely vulnerable, the Nassau grouper is a flagship for protecting fish spawning sites.
Sources
Sources for Nassau Grouper
- IUCN Red List — look up Nassau Grouper (authoritative status)
- NOAA Fisheries
- FishBase
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are spawning aggregations so risky for the Nassau grouper?
The fish gather in large, predictable numbers at the same places and times to spawn, which makes them extremely easy to catch in bulk — quickly depleting breeding adults.
Why is the Nassau grouper Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite overfishing, especially at spawning aggregations, and habitat loss. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: