History and Conservation
Giant sea bass were once a relatively common inhabitant of Southern California waters, yet in the 1980s, it was facing the threat of local extinction off the California coast. Beginning in the late 19th century, the species supported both a commercial fishery taking hundreds of thousands of pounds annually, and a sport fishery that also landed hundreds of fish each year. Spear fishermen also exploited the giant sea bass, first as free divers, and then after the mid-1950s using scuba gear. Often the divers would target the species when they moved into shallow water during the summer months to spawn.
By the late 1970s, biologists with the California Department of Fish and Game, recognized that the local population of giant sea bass was in serious trouble. Actions were taken, resulting in protection from commercial and sport fishing that went into effect in 1982. Yet for almost two decades, encounters with giant sea bass were scarce. The giant sea bass reproduces slowly with a population doubling time of more than 14 years, and is still listed as critically endangered.
Read more about this topic: Giant Sea Bass
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