Fishing Activities Disrupt Squaretail Grouper's Mating Behavior

Intensive fishing at spawning sites causes groupers to flee, impacting reproduction and population health.

Fishing at grouper spawning sites leads to behavioral changes, causing males to flee instead of courting females.
Male groupers at fished sites are twice as likely to flee and take longer to return to their territories.
Fewer offspring are produced due to disrupted mating, threatening long-term population sustainability.
Fishing stress makes groupers more nervous, reducing their ability to mate and defend territories.
The study highlights significant implications for fishery management and the need for protective measures.