Gag grouper are reef fish that live in the waters off the Southeastern United States, with a range that extends south throughout the Caribbean and along the coast of Brazil. They primarily eat fish, crabs and shrimp and can live for more than 30 years. They can weigh up to 80 pounds. Gag grouper are usually grayish brown and black, and some are called “copper bellies” due to darker patterns on their undersides. Gag grouper are known for distinct kiss-shaped markings on their sides in an adorable camouflage pattern.
Gag grouper are fascinating because they are hermaphrodites; they are all born female and some will change to male (protogynous). Sex reversal is very common in fish, but the dynamics that trigger the reversal are highly variable, and for gag, nobody yet knows what triggers the change! What we do know is that from birth as female, it takes nearly a decade before a gag grouper might transition to male. Many never transition though, making them even more mysterious.
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Research has shown that gag grouper are also extremely dependent on specific habitats during different phases of their lives. In the Gulf of Mexico, juvenile gag (all female) live in seagrass flats and estuaries that serve as nurseries. As they age and grow, they migrate to deeper waters in nearshore reefs. In these nearshore reefs, females begin to mature and join spawning aggregations, to release eggs on offshore reefs. Some transition to male, and the males generally become residents and remain on offshore reefs. However, females visit these deeper offshore reefs to spawn, and then they may (or may not!) return to nearshore reefs. This specialized range makes them more vulnerable to environmental impacts and overfishing during some periods of their lives. For instance, harmful algal blooms have historically decimated juvenile populations in inshore waters.
Gag grouper are such interesting fish, but we have so much left to learn. But gag grouper are also in trouble—they are overfished (meaning the population is too low) and undergoing overfishing (meaning the catch rate is too high). In fact, the gag grouper has been identified as one of the most highly vulnerable fish stocks in the Gulf of Mexico.
Three things make them highly vulnerable:
- Gag grouper are incredibly popular fish for both recreational and commercial anglers. They also form spawning aggregations which make locating large groups easier for anglers.
- Because gag grouper are hermaphrodites, fishery managers must maintain a healthy balance of both males and females which is critical to the population’s survival.
- Management is also challenging because gag grouper have specific ecosystem needs during various periods of their lives. Inshore fishing pressure on gag grouper can result in fewer gag grouper that make it to offshore reefs or transition to males.
We have much to learn from these impressive creatures, but what we do know is that gag grouper are remarkable fish that deserve more research, attention and protection. Ocean Conservancy is hard at work tracking gag landings, management actions and progress to rebuild the stock. We are working with you to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. We rely on evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.
Please donate to Ocean Conservancy today and make a difference for the future of our ocean.
The post All About Gag Grouper appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
This fall, Ocean Conservancy is celebrating its 41st annual International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC), once again bringing together volunteers to protect the beaches and waterways we all love. Ocean Conservancy recently hosted flagship events in Long Beach and Washington, D.C. that celebrated this global movement close to home.
Over the past four decades, nearly 20 million volunteers have rolled up their sleeves to remove more than 405 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways around the world. And their impact extends far beyond what they collect. ICC volunteers have documented nearly 440 million individual items, creating the world’s largest marine debris database and providing invaluable information that helps Ocean Conservancy and others better understand—and tackle—ocean plastic pollution.
This year’s celebration continued that incredible legacy. At Alamitos Beach in Southern California, more than 150 volunteers gathered on September 19 and removed 1,109 pounds of trash, alongside members of Team USA Artistic Swimming and Olympic and Paralympic athletes. In Washington, D.C., 439 volunteers gathered on September 26 to remove 2,182 pounds of trash from Anacostia Park along the Anacostia River.
“I am so grateful to all of the volunteers who came out today for our ocean—and every volunteer who has made the last 41 years of impact possible,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Allison Schutes. “Every piece of plastic collected helps protect marine animals and habitats and contributes to research and advocacy.”
And the impact doesn’t stop when the cleanup ends. During International Coastal Cleanup events, volunteers do more than remove trash: They document what they find, helping build a clearer picture of the plastic pollution threatening our waterways and wildlife. Through the Clean Swell® app or paper data sheets, ICC volunteers contribute to Ocean Conservancy’s online, open-access database, the world’s largest repository of marine debris data. These records help scientists, conservation groups and governments understand pollution trends and identify solutions.
That data can also drive meaningful policy change. ICC data were recently used in a peer-reviewed study showing that plastic bag bans lead to reduced plastic bag pollution. The data have also helped advance policies ranging from California’s SB 54 to Florida’s balloon release ban and the federal Farewell to Foam Act. From a neighborhood cleanup to statewide action, every piece of documented trash helps build the evidence needed to tackle plastic pollution at its source.
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Want to get involved?
Whether you join a local cleanup, record the trash you find using the Clean Swell app, or take action to reduce plastic pollution, you can be part of this incredible collective effort to protect our ocean. Here are a few ways to make an impact:
- Find a cleanup near you.
- Download our Clean Swell app to easily record the trash you collect.
- Take action to reduce plastic pollution.
- Explore our Wildlife Impact Calculator to estimate the potential benefits of your cleanup for marine wildlife.
- Donate today to Ocean Conservancy to help us fight plastic pollution for years to come!
The post Celebrating 41 Years of the International Coastal Cleanup® appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
For generations, stories of people being swallowed by enormous sea creatures have painted awe-inspiring tales of human survival and perseverance. From the biblical account of Jonah to the legendary battle of Hercules and Cetus to the timeless story of Pinocchio, these legendary tales have captivated people since time immemorial.
But all these stories raise the question: Could someone really be swallowed by a whale? With the premiere of the film Whalefall on October 16, 2026, you may find yourself in conversations about this very situation. Based on the bestselling 2023 thriller authored by Daniel Kraus, the film tells the story of a scuba diver who is accidentally gobbled up by a sperm whale while searching for the remains of his late father. With only an hour of oxygen left in his tank, the diver must fight to escape the whale’s gut before time runs out.
The answer to whether it’s anatomically possible for a whale to swallow a person is actually a bit more complicated than you might think.