| Grouper is considered a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium. The fish has firm, lean flesh and a mild flavor. Grouper is available year-round with peak catches in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico occurring during the summer and fall. Grouper is sold fresh and frozen as whole fish, fillets, and steaks. It is sometimes sold as “sea bass,” “mero” or the Hawaiian name “hapu’u”.
Based on average global^ landings of red grouper from 2012-2015 and using 2014 (U.S.) and 2017 (Mexico) Seafood Watch ratings, the sustainability breakdown of black grouper is as follows:
- ~70% of U.S.-caught (~90% from Florida Gulf) and ~30% of global black grouper landings meet a Seafood Watch “Good Alternative (yellow)” rating
- ~40% of global black grouper landings (from Mexico*) meet a Seafood Watch “Avoid (red)” rating
- ~30% of global landings are unknown or unrated (~30% of U.S. landings and Bermuda)
- U.S. landings have increased ~40% from 2012 to 2015
^Landings outside the U.S. are uncertain as separation of grouper species doesn’t allow precise numbers, so a ratio of other grouper landings within the U.S. was applied to landings outside the U.S.
*The Mexico fishery is in a fishery improvement project (FIP) that includes red grouper and black grouper |
