Building Awareness, One Fisher at a Time: A Recap of Our 2025 Grouper Workshops
- May 20
- 3 min read
Protecting the Nassau grouper—known locally as mero cherna—depends not only on science and policy, but also on the people who spend the most time on the water: fishers. In 2025, a series of hands-on workshops across Puerto Rico brought together spearfishers, commercial and charter captains, and recreational anglers to share practical knowledge about grouper conservation, regulations, and responsible fishing practices.
Tailored Workshops for Different Fishing Communities
Each workshop was designed for a specific audience, ensuring the information was both relevant and immediately useful. The first workshop, held on January 18, 2025, at Isla Mar headquarters in Rincón, focused on spearfishers. With a small group of nine participants, the session provided a more personalized setting to discuss best practices—such as identifying which species are safe to harvest, which to avoid, and how to properly release protected species like the Nassau grouper. Participants also received waterproof Grouper Guides in Spanish, making it easier to reference key information while out in the water.
On March 26, 2025, the largest workshop brought together 35 charter and commercial fishers in Rincón—an important fishing hub near the Bajo de Sico aggregation site. A major highlight of this session was the distribution of descending devices, tools that help fish safely return to deeper waters when released, reducing the risk of injury from pressure changes. This effort was supported by Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) staff and former chair Marcos Hanke, who also shared his expertise during the workshop.
The third workshop, held on June 20, 2025, at the Ponce Sport-fishing Club, welcomed 24 recreational fishers. This session emphasized proper handling and release techniques, reinforcing that small changes in fishing practices can make a big difference in the survival rates of released fish. Hosting the workshop on the south coast also helped expand outreach beyond the island’s west coast.
Expanding the Reach Through Partnerships
In addition to these dedicated fisher workshops, the project was shared at broader educational events through the Marine Resource Education Program (MREP). Over three years (2022–2024), these workshops reached a total of 94 participants in key fishing communities, including La Parguera and Fajardo. These events provided an opportunity to introduce fishers to the MerosPR platform and explain the importance of reporting Nassau grouper sightings.
You can learn more about MREP here: https://www.mrepcap.org
Another important effort took place on April 3, 2024, with a “Train the Trainers” workshop hosted by Para la Naturaleza in Fajardo. This session equipped marine protected area (MPA) managers with the knowledge needed to identify Nassau grouper, understand reporting requirements, and share this information with broader volunteer networks.
Beyond the Classroom: Reaching Fishers Where They Are
Recognizing that not all learning occurs in formal settings, the project team also engaged directly with fishers at local shore-fishing tournaments and at commercial fishing centers (known as villas pesqueras). At these events, participants received Grouper Guides and had one-on-one conversations about conservation and reporting. In total, around 700 guides were distributed across all outreach efforts.
These informal interactions also provided valuable insight. Some fishers expressed concerns about using digital reporting tools or worried that reporting sightings could lead to additional fishing restrictions. Understanding these perspectives is essential for building trust and improving future outreach strategies.
What Fishers Learned
Across all workshops and outreach activities, several key topics remained consistent:
How to identify Nassau grouper in the wild
The importance of protecting spawning aggregations
Current local and federal fishing regulations
Safe handling and release techniques, including the use of descending devices
How to report sightings through the MerosPR platform
To tie it all together, a simple message was shared throughout the campaign: “ Reconoce, Suelta, Reporta y Salva al Mero Cherna!” (Recognize, Release, Report, and Save the Nassau Grouper!)
Moving Forward
These workshops demonstrated that when fishers are given the right tools and information, they become powerful allies in conservation. By meeting communities where they are—both geographically and culturally—this initiative helped bridge the gap between science and everyday fishing practices, laying the groundwork for more sustainable fisheries in Puerto Rico.
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