Today my colleagues from the City of Naples Natural Resource Department, Collier County Coastal Zone Management, and the Collier Sheriff's Office began our surveys for the Great Goliath Grouper Count (GGGC). We split up into two research teams and each surveyed three artificial reef sites. My group surveyed the Santa Lucia, Gordan 4.5 Mile, and Doctors Pass 4.5 mile reefs and saw about 25 goliath grouper. Below are some pictures and video of today's surveys. 
The GGGC is a Florida Sea Grant pilot project that will provide a regional snapshot of goliath grouper size distribution and minimum abundance values for designated nearshore and offshore artificial reefs in Southwest Florida. Project partners will sample approximately 60 sites between Collier and Pinellas Counties within a 5-day period. The goal of the project is provide a unique survey of a large number of sites in a short period of time that is beyond the resources of scientists working alone in an attempt to provide them with additional data on goliath grouper distribution in the region. Enjoy the pictures! 
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