We love our Nassau grouper in The Bahamas but this fish is threatened by overfishing due to being targeted by fishermen while it spawns at predictable times and places during the winter months between November and March. We need a fixed annual closed season between December 1^st and February 28^th so that the Nassau grouper can be left alone to make their babies, and so that we can have fish for the future. We urge you to support our Bahamian fishermen and all people who enjoy Nassau grouper by respecting the spawning season. The Nassau grouper is an endangered species that is commercially extinct in most of the Caribbean; we need your help to protect it in The Bahamas. Please do not waste away the resources of the next generation; do not delay conservation of this important species!

BREEF has been working with fishermen, students and teachers around the country to promote Nassau grouper conservation. Please listen to the following opinions of Bahamians from around the country talking about why it is so important to have a three-month closed season for this important fish:

1.       PSA Grouper Man - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpIKwJNOaF4&feature=channel&list=UL  1:00

2.    PSA Tings Tough - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gg1GxUMZps&feature=relmfu 1:05

3.       Nassau Grouper Skit by NGM Major High School http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_iK7vGSed4&feature=BFa&list=UL20WjjKTMJ3Q 9:29

  4.       Nassau Grouper Video by BREEF Teachers - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIsef4g_S-U&feature=BFa&list=ULF-JOugz17BQ 4:16

5.       Poem – If a Fish Could Talk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20WjjKTMJ3Q&feature=BFa&list=ULRIsef4g_S-U 1:49

6.       PSA Red Alert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziimpyUc69w&feature=BFa&list=ULwpIKwJNOaF4 1:07

Dear Prime Minister,

 We beg you to continue to support the closed season that protects our Nassau Grouper while these fish are spawning. We need an annual closed season between December 1^st and February 28^th so that they can be left alone to make their babies, and so that we can have fish for the future. We urge you to support our Bahamian fishermen and all people who enjoy Nassau grouper by respecting the spawning season. The Nassau grouper is an endangered species that is commercially extinct in most of the Caribbean; we need your help to protect it in The Bahamas. Please do not waste away the resources of the next generation; do not delay conservation of this important species!

We the undersigned wish to express our support for an annual closed season for the Nassau Grouper from December 1 – February 28.