Angler jailed for possessing a protected goliath grouper

A Florida man was jailed Wednesday night after he was found to be in possession of a protected goliath grouper.

In a news release issued Thursday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stated that Marine Deputy Willie Guerra spotted Ming Horng Yin walking from the Channel #2 Bridge in Islamorada to his vehicle with a fishing rod and cooler.

Guerra inspected the cooler and found the grouper, still alive. Guerra released the grouper and arrested Yin. It was not clear how long Yin, 52, was held.

Goliath grouper have been protected in state and federal waters off Florida since 1990. In state waters, harvesting goliath grouper is punishable by a fine up to $500 per fish and up to 60 days in jail.

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Many anglers still target goliath grouper while catch-and-release fishing. But rules are strict and fish “must be immediately returned to the water free, alive and unharmed,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The goliath grouper is the largest grouper species in the Atlantic and can weigh nearly 800 pounds. According to NOAA Fisheries, its range includes the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys in the U.S., the Bahamas and most of the Caribbean, and coastal waters off Brazil.

–Goliath grouper image courtesy of NOAA Fisheries