croxfiber - sportfishos lounge

The 6 families of grouper (serranidae):
1. Jewfish (Epinephelus itajara)
2. Black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci)
3. Red grouper (Epinephelus morio)
4. Yellowfin grouper (Mycteroperca venenosa)
5. Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
6. Black seabass (Centropristis striata)

Jewfish


Jewfish - In Brunei Darussalam, it is known as Keratang. Huge grouper with length of 8 feet (2.4 m) to 12 ft (3.7 m) & weight of 680 lb (310 kg) to 1,100 lb (500 kg) or more!
185 kg! - Awang Zailan, Brunei Darusalam sea zone

Despite its size, it lives in shallow water, usually no deeper than 100 ft (30 m) around rocky ledges, wrecks, & pilings. Not a hard fighter but its bad habit is to bolting into a hole when hooked, make it difficult to land!

Keratang (Jewfish) huge grouper - Pengiran Zaman, Belait watercourse, Brunei Darussalam

Black grouper - Weight of over 180 lb (82 kg) & sometime up to 580 lb (263 kg). It has a variable overall coloration marked with dark brown & rectangular blotches


16 kg! Hafiz, Brunei Darussalam bay


6 kg! - Ampaun Haji Razid, Sungai Bangau estuary, Brunei Darussslam

Red grouper - Inhabits rocky reefs at depths of 80 to 400 ft (24 - 120 m). Recognizable by its blotched, reddish coloration, its squared-off tail and the even top edge of its first dorsal fin, the lining of its mouth is orange or deep red


Weight of 50 lb (23 kg) or more! Fights hard when hooked on light tackle! Could be found around Pilong Rock Island, Brunei Darussalam


Yellowfin grouper - Distinctive yellow tips of its pectoral fins, dark oval blotches on its head & body, speckled with small black spots

Its coloration is otherwise highly variable but those in shallow water tend to be yellowish or green (yellow phase) and those in deep water red (red phase)


Maximum weight is about 20 lb (9.1 kg)

Zul Pudak, Muara harbour marine, Brunei Darussalam

Nasssu grouper - Found over rocks, coral reefs & weedbeds from shallow inshore waters out of depths of around 100 ft (30m). Maximum weight of 55 lb (25 kg)

AzimCF, Kampong Sungai Bunga jetty, Brunei Darussalam

It is one of the most attractive groupers! having a variable pale overall coloration marked with dark bars and light spots. It is an important commercial species, as are the red groupers, black grouper & black seabass

Fight hard when hooked!

Zul Pudak, Kampong Sungai Bunga & Pudak spots, Brunei Darussalam

Black seabass - An average weight of 1 lb 8 oz (680 g) to 8 lb (3.6 kg) & most popular gamefish!

Sharif Abdullah Al Qadri of Balikpapan - CroxFiber's guest in Brunei Darussalam sea


Aiman, Kampong Sungai Bunga pier, Brunei Darussalam

It's caught by bottom fishing from anchored boat, from piers, jetty & docks. Male has three lobed tail fin (female has single lobed tail fin)

Asyraf, Kampong Sungai Bunga jetty, Brunei Darussalam

Groupers tend to change sex as they grow: they matured & breed as females and become males when they grow older & larger!

Credits: www.bruneifishing.com, The New Encyclopedia of Fishing, South Coast Marine Co Ltd & various sources