Mating Season for Groupers

They do WHAT during the full moon?

Every year from November to March, Nassau Grouper spawn (mate) during the Full Moon.

A spawning aggregation site may attract hundreds and sometimes thousands of fish. Historically some aggregations had tens of thousands of fish. Nassau Grouper undergo a number of color changes during breeding. The most distinctive change is the bi-color phase in which the upper side of the fish becomes a dark color and the lower side a light color. The distinctive saddle-shaped marking at the base of the tail is still visible.

The color changes vary, but there are four distinct changes visible:

Normal – The typical coloration of a Nassau grouper.
Bi-color – Top of the fish is dark, and lower part is white. Around the time of spawning, a high proportion of Nassau groupers will demonstrate this coloration.
White belly – These are a lighter version of the normal color pattern, and can have white abdomens swollen with eggs.
Dark – Found in courting and spawning fish, the entire body is dark.

CLOSED FOR MATING. Thanks again to BREEF for this goofy photo.

The closed season for Nassau Grouper is from December 1 through February 29. 7. Spearfishing is restricted to free divers only and only with the use of a Hawaiian sling, and not for Lobster which has to be taken by hand. 2.

If you support the Nassau Grouper closed season, please visit BREEFs Facebook page to like, share and post this link for all to see.

That’s one observant turtle! Thanks to BREEF for the photo.

Let the world know that we love the Nassau Grouper and want it around forever. #breef242 #nassaugrouper

The origins of port and starboard

If you are an ardent boater or frequent guest of anyone who owns a boat, you become exposed to an array of confounding marine jargon: head, tiller, rudder, galley, wench, Dark and Stormy, stewardess, man overboard, flybridge, port and starboard. The list goes on and on (and on).

Today, we unpack two of the most commonly heard marine terms. What are the origins of port and starboard?

Unlike left and right, “port” and “starboard” refer to fixed locations on a vessel.

NOAA unpacks it as well:

“In the early days of boating, before ships had rudders on their centerlines, boats were controlled using a steering oar. Most sailors were right-handed, so the steering oar was placed over or through the right side of the stern. Sailors began calling the right side the steering side, which soon became “starboard” by combining two Old English words: stéor (meaning “steer”) and bord (meaning “the side of a boat”).

As the size of boats grew, so did the steering oar, making it much easier to tie a boat up to a dock on the side opposite the oar. This side became known as larboard, or “the loading side.” Over time, larboard—too easily confused with starboard—was replaced with port. After all, this was the side that faced the port, allowing supplies to be ported aboard by porters.”

Tag: fun facts