Grouper Guardian
The goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) was nearly driven to extinction by fishing by the late 1980s. A full fishing ban in 1990 brought them back from the brink. Their numbers peaked in 2010 and have since fallen again by half. Florida Wildlife Commission’s decision to open season on goliath groupers is ecologically and ethically wrong.
We’re calling on grouper guardians in Florida and around the world to intervene by entering the tag lottery or pitching in to help us cover tag costs for Florida residents. To enter is only $10, but you can double your chances for $20. Send your confirmation of entry or donation to info@fishdefender.org and we’ll send you a limited edition grouper guardian sticker pack.
This strategy is fully compliant with state code and has already been highly successful in protecting Florida’s bears.
I N S T R U C T I O N S :
FLORIDA RESIDENTS:
- Get a fishing license.
- Navigate to gooutdoorsflorida.com.
- Select “Recreational Licenses & Permits” > Create Account OR Log In
- If the web form does not accept your SSN or you encounter other technical issues, the office can register you over the phone.
- Select “Click here to get a license!” > Select “Saltwater Shoreline Fishing – 1 year” for $0.00
- Seniors can select the free “Hunt/Fish” license.
- Check out with your license.
- If you cannot see the Saltwater Shoreline license option, the site should offer it to you at checkout for your grouper entries.
- Enter the lottery.
- Return to gooutdoorsflorida.com homepage.
- Select “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits” > “Goliath Grouper Category I…” > “Next” > Affirm, Add/Select Card > “Next” > “Submit & Apply For Another Application”.
- Select “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits” > “Goliath Grouper Category II” > “Next” > Affirm, Add/Select Card > “Next” > “Finish & Checkout”.
- Complete checkout.
- Forward your confirmation to info@fishdefender.org for your free sticker pack and to register for compensation if you win!
(SCRUB THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH REEL FOR SCREEN RECORDINGS)
NON-FLORIDA RESIDENTS:
- Donate at least $10 toward compensating tag winners who cannot otherwise afford to enter.
- Send your confirmation and address to info@fishdefender.org for your free sticker pack!
D E T A I L S :
Reimbursements will be sent over paypal or check to confirmed winners who have registered with us when the drawing is announced. FWC will not notify other entrants who won, so you will need to reach out. If we cannot vet a tag holder, we may ask them to forward their required report to FWC that the tag was not used at the end of the season to eliminate any risk of fishermen taking the compensation and using the tag.
Non-Florida residents can enter the tag lottery, but if they are drawn, the tag is $500. We can afford to cover up to $150 of an out-of-state tag, or non-Florida residents can also contribute toward the pool. We have raised enough to cover as many Florida entries as we can statistically assume to win.
Grouper Guardian
The goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) was nearly driven to extinction by fishing by the late 1980s. A full fishing ban in 1990 brought them back from the brink. Their numbers peaked in 2010 and have since fallen again by half. Florida Wildlife Commission’s decision to open season on goliath groupers is ecologically and ethically wrong.
We’re calling on grouper guardians in Florida and around the world to intervene by entering the tag lottery or pitching in to help us cover tag costs for Florida residents. To enter is only $10, but you can double your chances for $20. Send your confirmation of entry or donation to info@fishdefender.org and we’ll send you a limited edition grouper guardian sticker pack.
This strategy is fully compliant with state code and has already been highly successful in protecting Florida’s bears.
I N S T R U C T I O N S :
FLORIDA RESIDENTS:
- Get a fishing license.
- Navigate to gooutdoorsflorida.com.
- Select “Recreational Licenses & Permits” > Create Account OR Log In
- If the web form does not accept your SSN or you encounter other technical issues, the office can register you over the phone.
- Select “Click here to get a license!” > Select “Saltwater Shoreline Fishing – 1 year” for $0.00
- Seniors can select the free “Hunt/Fish” license.
- Check out with your license.
- If you cannot see the Saltwater Shoreline license option, the site should offer it to you at checkout for your grouper entries.
- Enter the lottery.
- Return to gooutdoorsflorida.com homepage.
- Select “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits” > “Goliath Grouper Category I…” > “Next” > Affirm, Add/Select Card > “Next” > “Submit & Apply For Another Application”.
- Select “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits” > “Goliath Grouper Category II” > “Next” > Affirm, Add/Select Card > “Next” > “Finish & Checkout”.
- Complete checkout.
- Forward your confirmation to info@fishdefender.org for your free sticker pack and to register for compensation if you win!
–SCRUB THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH REEL FOR SCREEN RECORDINGS–
NON-FLORIDA RESIDENTS:
- Donate at least $10 toward compensating tag winners who cannot otherwise afford to enter.
- Send your confirmation and address to info@fishdefender.org for your free sticker pack!
D E T A I L S :
Reimbursements will be sent over paypal or check to confirmed winners who have registered with us when the drawing is announced. FWC will not notify other entrants who won, so you will need to reach out. If we cannot vet a tag holder, we may ask them to forward their required report to FWC that the tag was not used at the end of the season to eliminate any risk of fishermen taking the compensation and using the tag.
Non-Florida residents can enter the tag lottery, but if they are drawn, the tag is $500. We can afford to cover up to $150 of an out-of-state tag, or non-Florida residents can also contribute toward the pool. We have raised enough to cover as many Florida entries as we can statistically assume to win.