Prospects look good as Gulf of Mexico reef fish skippers transition to a grouper-tilefish individual fishing quota program.
In mid-November, having weathered a longline shutdown and a late-season tropical storm that brought the entire fleet back to the docks simultaneously, the market was robust.
Red grouper was bringing $2.90 a pound ex-vessel at Fishbusterz in John’s Pass, Madeira Beach, Fla., well above the 2009 official state average of $2.33.
“This storm sent all of our boats to the dock,” says boat owner and dock manager Greg Pruitt. “Normally when that happens, you get a price drop. That didn’t happen. We don’t have a fish in the house right now.”