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Illustration of Pacific goliath grouper
fishing forecast

pacific goliath grouper

Epinephelus quinquefasciatus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the pacific goliath grouper

how to recognize it

Elongated, robust body, overall yellowish-brown, gray or greenish. The head, back and fins have small black dots that get smaller as the fish grows. The head is very broad, the maxilla is scaled and extends well behind the eye, and there are no canine teeth at the front of the jaws. Do not confuse it with the rooster grouper (Hyporthodus acanthistius), which has a dark band above the maxilla, nor with the olive grouper (Hyporthodus cifuentesi), which is pale brown with a greenish sheen.

Also called: mero-do-pacífico, mero, Pacific goliath grouper

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Reefs and other varied habitats, down to 100 m deep.

Lives in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru, with records in Ecuador, Guatemala and Panama.

rules for the pacific goliath grouper

Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01148, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the pacific goliath grouper

The Pacific grouper belongs to the family Epinephelidae and reaches 250 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru, on reefs and other varied habitats, at depths down to 100 m. It is a large, robust, elongated fish, with a very broad head and a flat area between the eyes. It is of interest to commercial fishing. The head, back and fins have small black dots, which get smaller as the fish grows. Because it is large, it needs careful handling.

Family: Epinephelidae · predator

similar species

sources and references (2)

Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.

  1. scientific FishBase: Epinephelus quinquefasciatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Epinephelus quinquefasciatusNames by country and language.