This project is designed to explore the habitat preference of the juvenile stages of the threatened Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus). As juveniles, many grouper species like the Nassau grouper take advantage of the ample protection offered by the three-dimensional structure of mangrove roots as well as the coral crevices and caves that are scattered among seagrass beds. Those seagrass beds also provide an abundant food source for these juvenile fish that are eating mostly crustaceans like shrimp and crabs before they transition to eating larger fish. 

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Even though Nassau grouper are protected by local and federal laws, and possessing the fish is prohibited all year, it is also important to consider their associated habitat when discussing conservation actions. The habitats occupied by juveniles and adults can be protected in order to encompass the entire life history of the Nassau grouper. So, their habitat - referred to as Essential Fish Habitat - can be protected from destructive practices like coastal development or harmful fishing practices. In theory, this should protect the Nassau grouper from the time it is born to the time it dies from natural causes. In the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, beyond 9 Nm from the coast in Puerto Rico and beyond 3 Nm in the USVI and Florida), the Nassau grouper is protected from any take, capture or possession. If you accidentally catch a Nassau grouper, you must take all necessary measures to release it in the habitat it was found, unharmed and alive. We encourage you to report any such interaction to accumulate information on every observation and help researchers document the species recovery.