Gary's Seafood Specialties

"Famous By Word Of Mouth"

Florida Seafood

Catfish, Lake Okeechobee - Clams, Cedar Key - Cobia - Crabs, Florida Stone Crabs - Dolphin - Escolar - Flounder - Frog Legs - Golden Tile - Grouper, Black - Grouper, Red - Grouper, Scamp - Grouper, Snowy - Grouper, Wreck - Grouper, Yellow Edge - Kingfish - Lobster, Spiny Lobster - Mahimahi - Pompano - Sheephead - Shrimp, Head On, Fresh - Shrimp, Rock Shrimp - Snapper, Atlantic Lane - Snapper, Beeliner - Snapper, Brazilian - Snapper, Dog - Snapper, Genuine American Red - Snapper, Hog - Snapper, Mangrove - Snapper, Margate - Snapper, Mutton - Snapper, Porgy - Snapper, Yelloweye - Snapper, Yellow Tail - Sturgeon, Mote Marine Aquarium - Swordfish - Tuna, Albacore - Tuna, Bluefin - Tuna, Yellowfin - Trigger Fish - Tripletail - Wahoo

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(Everything is subject to government regulations and weather)

Mangrove Snapper

Lutjanus Griseus

The Mangrove Snapper has many other common names, the most prevalent being “Grey Snapper.” Grey comes from the Latin word of the species of the fish “Griseus.” Among the other common names are Grey Silk, Silk, Lawyer, Black Snapper, Black Pargue, Pargue, Mango Snapper & Mangrove Pargue. One explanation for the common name “Mangrove Snapper” is that this species, particularly, when they are young, spend a great deal of time in the safety of the mangroves, away from predatory fish. Mangrove snappers can be found in fresh water lakes throughout Florida, as well as in water as deep as 585 feet. When in the open ocean, they seek the refuge of reefs or rocks as protection from predators.

Mangrove Snappers are among the smallest species of snapper. They rarely exceed 18”, and generally weigh 8-10 pounds. The record in Florida is 16 lb., 8 oz. Mangrove snappers become sexually mature at the age of 2, when they are 7-13” in length. This species has a life expectancy of about 25 years.

Mangrove snappers have the same range as most of the other species of snappers. They prefer the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, but are also found as far north as the Carolinas and Bermuda, and as far south as Brazil. By far, they are the most plentiful in the state of Florida. Once a mature Mangrove Snapper settles in an area, they generally will stay in the same area for at least 4 years before moving to another location.

Mangrove Snappers school diurnally, and are nocturnal feeders. As juveniles, living in the mangroves, they enjoy a diet of larvae, zooplankton, copepods and amphipods. As they grow larger, they venture out into grassy bottoms, where they eat crustaceans, fish, polychaete worms, mollusks, shrimp, crab, gastropods and cephalopods.

These fish spawn at different times depending where they happen to be in their range. Spawning always occurs during the months of April – November. However, most of the action takes place in June, July and August when the water is warmest. Their spawning is influenced by the lunar cycle. Mangrove Snappers spawn in schools during full moons. Unlike most other species of snapper, that have eggs that float to the top of the ocean to be carried by currents, Mangrove Snappers have demersal eggs that hatch within 20 hours after fertilization. They devour the yolk in the first 45 hours of life, and then they begin eating larvae and plankton.

Fish that Mangrove Snappers try to avoid include sharks, barracuda, grouper, moray eels and other species of snapper.

Because many of these snappers live in shallow water, they are host to many types of parasites.

Mangrove Snappers are not only a very important sport fish, but have significant importance commercially as well. The vast majority of them are caught commercially by shrimp trawlers, as they reside in the same grassy sea beds that shrimp do. Commercial fishermen use other methods including bottom longlining to harvest them as well.

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