Photo: Vicky Newman, Kona, Hawaii. 90 ft.
Epinephelus lanceolatus (Bloch, 1790)
The presence of an enormous grouper in Hawaiian waters has long been known, but so rare are these fish that until fairly recently no ichthyologist had ever examined one. When a 554 lb. monster was caught from shore near Kihei, Maui, in 1989 Dr. John E. Randall of the Bishop Museum flew over immediately and identified it as this species. Adults are dull yellowish to brownish blotched and mottled with darker brown; the fins bear numerous black spots. Juveniles are brighter yellow marked with three wide irregular black bars. Because of their great size, these groupers are rare throughout their range, even in areas that have not been fished. They occur from about 15 ft to at least 300 ft. and typically shelter in caves or under large ledges. The Maui specimen had fed on spiny lobsters, crabs, as well as the octopus which had been used as bait. Sightings by divers in Hawai`i are extremely unusual. Locations where Giant Groupers have been seen include Moku Manu, O`ahu, and Lehua Rock, off Ni`ihau. In June 2006 Vicky Newman snapped a rare shot of one at 90 ft. off Kona. It was 3-4 ft. long. Since some people will do anything to spear these large fish, the exact location is undisclosed. These fish grow to about 9 ft., attain at least 880 lbs., and occur throughout the Indo-Pacific.Click here for a description of one caught in 1997 off Honolulu Harbor.