Coastal Resources

Massive Warsaw grouper caught near Destin, Florida was 58-61 years old

On Sunday, October 9, 2022, Charter Boat Special K landed a 349.6-pound Warsaw grouper during the Destin Fishing Rodeo. According to Capt. Kyle Lowe, while it was one angler who fought […]

Jared Williams

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On Sunday, October 9, 2022, Charter Boat Special K landed a 349.6-pound Warsaw grouper during the Destin Fishing Rodeo.

According to Capt. Kyle Lowe, while it was one angler who fought the fish, it took 5 people to get it into the boat. It is also a new record for the boat.

Since then, Okaloosa County’s Coastal Resource Manager Alex Fogg has been working to determine the age of the grouper.

Otoliths, commonly known as “earstones,” are hard, calcium carbonate structures located directly behind the brain of bony fishes, according to FWC. Otoliths are used to estimate fish age by counting the stripes, just as you would count the rings on a tree to determine its age.

Over the weekend, Fogg, along with a second opinion from a colleague also with the Coastal Resource Team, estimated the Warsaw grouper to be between 58 to 61-years old. This makes the Warsaw grouper one of the oldest in recent records.

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