Resource Library – Big Fish Initiative

Rebels of the Sea / Rebeldes del mar (Book)

Long-lived Reef Fishes: The Grouper-Snapper Complex (Scientific Paper)

Evidence for protection of targeted reef fish on the largest marine reserve in the Caribbean (Scientific Paper)

Loss of suitable ocean habitat and phenological shifts among grouper and snapper spawning aggregations in the Greater Caribbean under climate change (Scientific Paper)

Who pays for sustainability in the small-scale fisheries in the global south? (Scientific Paper)

Diel movements and space use of Lutjanus analis at a spawning aggregation site, examined to evaluate the efficacy of a seasonal closed area for management (Scientific Paper)

Session 1: Fish Spawning Aggregations and Fishers’ Knowledge

Summary: Welcome! This session provides an introduction and overview of the workshop focusing on examples of where fishers’ knowledge (FK) and leadership have led to fish spawning aggregation (FSA) conservation…

Session 2: Spawning Aggregation Ecology: Snappers and Associated Families

Summary: This session provides overviews of the six families and over 560 species in the SSG SG in terms of biology and spawning aggregations. These species can use habitats from…

Session 4: Policy and Management Actions & The Role of Fisher Knowledge

Summary: In this session, we consider the why, what, and how of fishers’ knowledge (FK) and its application to fisheries policy and management using examples of best practices. We assess…

Recreational diver willingness to pay for goliath grouper encounters during the months of their spawning aggregation off eastern Florida, USA (Scientific Paper)

Grouper and Spawning Aggregations (Book)

La Cherna A Contrarreloj (Video)

Este cortometraje celebra a un gran pez, que es vital para la salud de los arrecifes del Gran Caribe y, es alimento clave para la población local: el mero cherna,…

Nassau Grouper Against the Clock (Video)

This short-film is a call to action to protect the critically endangered Nassau Grouper, a vital species for the health of Caribbean reefs, and a key food for local people.…

Le Mérou de Nassau Course Contre la Montre (Video)

Ce court métrage est un appel à l'action pour protéger le mérou de Nassau, une espèce en danger critique d'extinction, vitale pour la santé des récifs des Caraïbes et un…

Pêchez Intelligemment (Video)

Ce film est un appel à l'action lancé par les pêcheurs à leurs collègues dans la région élargie des Caraïbes. Il montre le comportement fascinant des espèces qui se rassemblent…

Pesca Inteligente: Consejo de Pescador a Pescador (Video)

Pesca Inteligente es un video de cuatro minutos para la comunidad pesquera del Caribe. Es una llamada a la acción –de pescador a pescador- a liderar el proceso de recuperación…

Fish Smart: Fisher to Fisher Advice (Video)

This 4-min film is a call to action from fishers to their colleagues in the Wider Caribbean. It includes the behavior of fish spawning aggregations, and the reasons why it’s…

Grouper’s Dilemma (Comic)

The Good Fisher (Comic)

Respect Closed Seasons (Comic)

Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean (Protocol)

Reef Fish Spawning Aggregation in Aceh Sumatra (Protocol)

Spawning aggregations of groupers and Napoleon wrasse in the Komodo National Park Monitoring Report (Protocol)

Spawning aggregation closures for the live reef fish fishery in Solomon Islands (Protocol)

Biophysical connectivity of snapper spawning aggregations and marine protected area management alternatives in Cuba (Scientific Paper)

Historical Processes and Contemporary Anthropogenic Activities Influence Genetic Population Dynamics of Nassau Grouper within The Bahamas (Scientific Paper)

Mainstream Fish Spawning Aggregations into Fishery Management Calls for a Precautionary Approach (Scientific Paper)

The Secret Language of Nassau Grouper – Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jTapnXB5j1EoBVzy8i53x?si=sgMm9eTiStaoAPCtxMzzGQ Narrator Leah Eneas guides the audience through the natural history of Nassau grouper, emphasizing their unique reproductive behavior. This podcast relies on underwater acoustics ---fish calls of courtship and…

Fish Smart – Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5gcGhSi8Cmb26vbUiwimjl?si=DuGyfmmbQnSatuBnFA3iKw Dive into a conversation between fishers and managers as they connect the dots for what’s at stake, the benefits of protecting spawning aggregations, and the downside of fishing species…

RAD-Seq Analysis and in situ Monitoring of Nassau Grouper Reveal Fine-Scale Population Structure and Origins of Aggregating Fish (Scientific Paper)

Marine Conservation Outcomes are More Likely when Fishers Participate as Citzien Scientists: Case Studies from the Mexican Mesoamerican Reef (Scientific Paper)

Institutional amnesia pushes fish spawning aggregations towards extirpation (Scientific Paper)

Status Report World’s Fish Aggregations (Scientific Paper)

Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Western Indian Ocean: Research for Management (Scientific Paper)

Impact of historical warming on marine fisheries production (Scientific Papers)

Fishery and biological implications of fishing spawning aggregations, and the social and economic importance of aggregating fishes (Scientific Paper)

Fish Spawning Aggregations: Where Well Placed Management Actions Can Yield Big Benefits for Fisheries and Conservation (Scientific Paper)

A Global Baseline for Spawning Aggregations of Reef Fishes (Scientific Paper)

Acoustic telemetry provides insights for improving conservation and management at spawning aggregation site of the endangered Nassau grouper (Scientific Paper)

Timing and locations of reef fish spawning off the southeastern United States (Scientific Paper)

Fish Spawning aggregations in the southeast Florida Coral Reef ecosystem conservation area: A case study Synthese of user reports, literature, and field validation efforts (Scientific Paper)

Fisheries Economics of the United States 2015 (Scientific Paper)

Let Them Come to You: Reinventing Management of the Snapper-Grouper Complex in the Western Atlantic: A Contribution to the Data Poor Fisheries Management Synopsium (Scientific Paper)

Informe de estado sobre las agregaciones reproductivas de peces en el Arrecife Mesoamericano (Scientific Paper)

Mesoamerican reef report card / reporte del arricife mesoamericano (Scientific Paper)

Policy Brief on Fish Spawning Aggregations (Scientific Paper)

Status Report on Fish Spawning Aggregation in the Mesoamerican Reef (Scientific Paper)

From Fish Spawning Aggregations to Effective Marine Protected Areas in Brazil (Scientific Paper)

Nassau grouper migration patterns during full moon suggest collapsed historic fish spawning aggregation and evidence of undocumented aggregation (Scientific Paper)

Spatial and temporal dynamics of Nassau grouper fish spawning aggregation located in an isolated seamount in Puerto Rico (Scientific Paper)

In Situ Tagging of Nassau Grouper using closed-circuit rebreathers at spawning aggregation in Puerto Rico (Scientific Paper)

Multiyear Tracking of Nassau Grouper Spawning Migrations (Scientific Paper)

Home range, space use, and vertical distribution of Nassau grouper during non-spawning times in Western Puerto Rico (Scientific Paper)

A climate vulnerability assessment for Caribbean recreational fisheries (Scientific Paper)

Detection and localization of Goliath grouper using low-frequency pulse sounds (Scientific Paper)

Passive acoustics as a tool to quantify/characterize vessel activity at spawning aggregation sites (Scientific Paper)

Researchers track endangered Nassau grouper eggs with underwater microscope (Scientific Paper)

Protecting fish spawning aggregations as self-replenishing reservoirs for regional recovery (Scientific Paper)

Ciencia de Big Fish

Big Fish Science

Big Fish Ciencia

Big Fish Cientifica Destacada: Krista Sherman

Big Fish Scientist Spotlight: Krista Sherman

Big Fish Cientifica Destacada: Ana Giró Peterson

Big Fish Science: Ana Giró Peterson

Big Fish Science: Nicanor Requena

Qué Saber: Designación de Hábitat Crítico del Mero Cherna de la NOAA

What do Know: NOAA’s Nassau Grouper Critical Habitat Designation

Sobrepesca de Reclutamiento

Relaciones de Arrecifes de Coral

Relationships within Coral Reefs

Recruitment Overfishing

Ecosystem Overfishing

Spawning aggregations of checkered snapper and blackspot snapper; seasonality, lunar-phase periodicity and spatial distribution within spawning ground (Scientific Paper)

Regional patterns in reproductive biology of Lethrinus miniatus on the Great Barrier Reef (Scientific Paper)

Report on current status and exploitation history of reef fish spawning aggregations in Palau (Scientific Paper)

Spawning Aggregations of fish in Cabo Delgado, Northern Mozambique: An interview-based survey of artisanal fishers (Scientific Paper)

Quantifying the largest aggregation of giant trevally on record: implications for management (Scientific Paper)

Spawning aggregation sites of snapper and grouper species and the insular shelf of Cuba (Scientific Paper)

Decadal analysis of larval connectivity from Cuban snapper spawning aggregations based on biophysical modeling (Scientific Paper)

IUCN Guidelines: Gathering of Fishers’ Knowledge for Policy Development and Applied Use (Protocol)

Prioritizing monitoring and conservation of efforts for fish spawning aggregations in the US Gulf of Mexico (Scientific Paper)

Spawning migration movements of Mutton Snapper in Tortugas Florida: Spatial dynamics within marine reserve network (Scientific Paper)

Timing and locations for reef fish spawning off the southeastern United States (Scientific Paper)

Data Collection and Finding in Spawning Special Management Zones (Presentation)

Alternative Livelihoods for Fishers (Video)

Fisher, Eloy Cuevas, discusses the benefits of alternative livelihood programs for fishers in Southern Belize.

Connectivity & Coral Reefs (Video)

Dr. Will Heyman discusses the importance of connectivity for global coral reef research and management.

Characteristics of Spawning Sites (Video)

Dr. Will Heyman dives into the common geomorphological characteristics shared by 17 spawning sites in Belize.

Belize: A Case Study (Video)

This video documents the incredible partnership between decision-makers, marine scientists, and local fishers in Belize as they unite to manage and protect spawning aggregation sites.

Protecting and Managing Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Pacific (Article)

Protecting and Managing Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Pacific (Protocol)

Solomon Islands Spawning Aggregation Monitoring Training Workshop (Protocol)

FSM Spawning Aggregation Monitoring Training Workshop Report (Protocol)

Restoring Big Fish: Cooperative Research, Conservation, and Management Program for Spawning Aggregations in the Wider Caribbean (Protocol)

Emerging Science and Technology to Improve Monitoring and Assessment of Fish Spawning Aggregations to Report from the 2019 Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Workshop (Protocol)

Nassau Grouper Web (Infographic)

Protecting fish aggregations; Protecting our future (Infographic)

Report Fish Spawning Aggregations (Infographic)

Monitoreos Pesqueros (Protocol)

Manuel for the Study and Conservation of Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations (Protocol)

Management and Conservation of Reef Fish Important for Food (Protocol)

Reef Fish Spawning Aggregation Monitoring Protocol for the Meso-American Reef and the Wider Caribbean (Protocol)

Cooperative Research and Monitoring Protocol for Spawning Areas in the US South Atlantic (Protocol)

Spawn Waltz (Video)

Enjoy the majestic dance of a snapper spawning aggregation.

Spawning Behavior (Video)

Dr. Will Heyman describes the unique spawning behaviors of snappers and groupers.

Spawning Aggregations (Video)

Dive into the spectacular phenomenon of spawning aggregations and learn why these productivity hotspot events are so important to the health of our oceans.

Two Minutes on Oceans w/ Jim Toomey: The True Value of Our Oceans (Video)

2-minute PSA about the uncounted economic benefits of the oceans. Oceans are not just about the seafood industry. The ocean provides transportation, tourism and recreation, as well as renewable energy,…

Seeds of the Future: Fijian Spawning Aggregations (Video)

A 18-minute documentary film examines the reasons behind increased fishing pressure on reef fishes, including spawning aggregations, and explores the problems and possible solutions. Important issues covered in the film…

Nassau (Video)

This video highlights the 40-year fishing career of fisherman Mr. Jack Young in Belize and the conservation efforts within the country to recover Nassau grouper.

Reserva Marina Isla de Mona y Monito (Video)

La Reserva Marina de las Islas de Mona y Monito es la más grande en Puerto Rico y protege las poblaciones de peces y otros organismos de los arrecifes de…

Nassau Grouper Spawning Aggregation Yucatan Mexico (Video)

Enjoy this short video montage of the 2016 spawning aggregation event in Punta Allen, Mexico.

How Conservation Efforts Help The Critically Endangered Nassau Grouper (Video)

This short video, led by Dr. Rick Nemeth (UVI) and Shaun Kadison (UVI) discusses their study of the spawning sites on the Puerto Rican Platue. The video discusses the threat…

Finding Fish: the Search for Fish Spawning Aggregations (Video)

This video highlights the three-year project led by the scientific team of Isla Mar Research Expeditions and the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez as they search for FSAs using environmental…

Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations: Biology, Research and Management (Book)

Fish Spawning Aggregations (Book)

Goliath grouper: An uncertain future? (Article)

Leave a place at the bar for Mutton snappers (Article)

Goliath grouper ‘guards’ could serve as undersea sentinels protecting US waters (Article)

Swimming with Super Grouper (Article)

Building New Marine Protected Areas with Fisherman and Underwater Drones (Article)

How Do You Surveil One of the Largest Marine Protected Areas on Earth (Article)

Why Big, Old, Fat, Fertile Femal Fish Are The Rockstars of the Ocean (Article)

Sex in the Sea (Article)

Can we solve the riddle of coral reef halos? (Article)

Sex among sea creatures is sexier than you might imagine (Article)

Saving Nassau Grouper by Protecting Spawning Aggregations (Article)

Tracking Fish to Save Them (Article)

Warning of forthcoming collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (Article)

If We Listen to Fish, What Will They Tell Us? (Article)

Unmanaged Fishing at Spawning Sites Put Species Economies at Risk (Article)

That’s amore, ocean drone first to identify grouper mating calls in spawning season (Article)

French Polynesia’s Sexy Secret (Article)

With too little to eat, ‘massive number’ of reef sharks depend on delivery (Article)

How Many Countries Does It Take to Save a Fish? (Article)

Can the World’s Elite Warriors Save the Oceans? (Article)

Groupers on the Comeback in the Caymans (Article)

Grouper Educational Plan for Cayman Islands (Article)

Epic Grouper Spawning Footage (Article)

Cayman Islands Enacts Sweeping Science-Based Reforms to Nassau grouper Fishery regulations (Article)

Cayman Islands Enacts Sweeping Science-Based Reforms to Nassau Grouper Fishery Regulations _ Reef En

Collaborative Conservation Approach for Endangered Reef Fish Yields Dramatic Results (Article)

Schoolmaster Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus apodus Biography: Meet the Schoolmaster Snapper, a creature of elegance and beauty with its ombre fins and vibrant colors. From the olive tones of its upper body…

Yellow Fin Grouper

Scientific Name: Mycteroperca venenosa Biography: Enter the domain of the YellowFin Grouper, a creature of power and grace with its robust body and striking markings. From the elongated snout to…

Dog Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus jocu Biography: Prepare to be charmed by the adorable Dog Snapper, a creature as unique as it is endearing with its trademark triangular markings and bronze-tinted olive…

Cubera Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus cyanopterus Biography:Meet the Cubera Snapper, a creature of strength and elegance with its slender, compressed form and piercing gaze. From the rugged terrain of its scales to…

Mutton Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus analis Biography:Enter the realm of the Mutton Snapper, a creature of both grace and resilience with its compressed body and piercing deep blue eyes. From the olive…

Tiger Grouper

Scientific Name: Mycteroperca tigris Biography:Behold the elusive Tiger Grouper, a master of disguise lurking among the coral reefs from Bermuda to Brazil. With a coat of dense red spots and…

Goliath Grouper

Scientific Name: Epinephelus itajara Biography:Prepare to be awed by the mighty Goliath Grouper, a titan among the fish with a head like a battering ram and a body built for…

Red Hind

Scientific Name: Epinephelus guttatus Biography: Meet the Red Hind, a member of the grouper family boasting a physique as robust as it is striking. With a top jaw that dares…

Black Grouper

Scientific Name: Mycteroperca bonaci Biography: Enter the realm of the Black Grouper, a sleek predator whose elongated form slices through the water with grace. Its snout, extending past piercing eyes,…

Nassau Grouper

Scientific Name: Epinephelus striatus Biography: Behold the majestic Nassau Grouper, a vision of elegance with its robust, striped body that gleams with white and tan hues. Its dark, soulful eyes…

Science Comes to the Rescue of Nassau Grouper (Article)

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Resources

Welcome to the Big Fish Resource Library. Here you will find a range of resources that you can use to support your small-scale fishery and community. Use the buttons above to browse resources by category or use the filters on the right to sort resources.

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