Red grouper are unspecialized and opportunistic feeders – they eat any convenient prey. They are among the top predators in reef community food webs and may control some aspects of community balance in reef systems.Red grouper feed on a wide variety of fish, octopus, and crustaceans, including shrimp, lobsters, and mantis shrimp.They spawn frequently, close to 26 times a year, in shallow waters from February through June.The proportion of males in the population increases with age. Some later transform into males, most often between the ages of 7 and 15. They are protogynous hermaphrodites – they begin life as females and sexually mature when they reach 4 to 6 years of age.

The oldest recorded red grouper in the South Atlantic was 26 years old and the oldest recorded in the Gulf of Mexico was 29 years old.

Red grouper grow slowly, up to almost 50 inches long and more than 50 pounds.

This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2021 catch data. John Grouper 4 Complex and is not assessed so the overfished status is unknown. In the Caribbean, red grouper is part of the St. Croix Grouper 5 Complex and is not assessed so the overfished status is unknown. This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2021 catch data. In the Caribbean, red grouper is part of the Puerto Rico Grouper 4 Complex and is not assessed so the overfished status is unknown. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.

A rebuilding plan has been in place since 2012. The South Atlantic stock is overfished (2017 stock assessment), but is not subject to overfishing based on 2021 catch data.

The Gulf of Mexico stock is not overfished (2019 stock assessment), and is not subject to overfishing based on 2021 catch data. According to the most recent stock assessments: There are five stocks of red grouper: the Gulf of Mexico stock, the South Atlantic stock, and three Caribbean stocks contained in the Puerto Rico Grouper 4 Complex, the St.

Red grouper fish