Brown grouper

The brown grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) is one of the most emblematic species in the western Mediterranean. After virtually disappearing from French coasts in the 1970s, it began to be protected in Corsican waters in 1980, then on the mainland in 1993. Year after year, populations have recovered. The brown grouper is commonly found in French waters, particularly in Corsica, Port-Cros, and the Calanques of Marseille. Due to its reproductive habits, it is imperative to protect it. Like most other groupers, the brown grouper is a hermaphroditic fish. During the first years of its life, the brown grouper is female. It becomes sexually mature at around 4-5 years of age. It only becomes male at the age of 12-13. It therefore takes many years to develop a true reproductive capacity in groupers and thus ensure the species' survival.