White grouper: season, closed season and minimum size

White grouper (Epinephelus aeneus) is a large predator of the rocky depths, and in our catalogue it is recorded in Türkiye only for the Aegean and the Mediterranean. The minimum legal size is 50 cm, the daily limit is 1 fish, and fishing for it is closed from 1 June – 31 August. That is why the summer months that look productive in the record drop out of the calendar, and the season splits into late spring and autumn.

Lagos, lahos, grida: one fish

In our catalogue this species appears in two separate records: one under the name "lagos", the other under "lahos". Their scientific name is the same, Epinephelus aeneus, so there is just one fish here. The recorded local names point the same way: in the lagos record they are grida, lagos and orfoz, in the lahos record white grouper and lahoz. The communiqué lists the species under the name "Lagos".

White grouper belongs to the Epinephelidae family, so it is a relative of the dusky grouper. Its body is large and stocky, its mouth wide; its colour ranges between grey, brown and olive tones. The pale lines running at a slant from behind the eye down toward the gill cover on its head are one of the well-known marks for recognising it.

Don't confuse it with the dusky grouper: one is allowed, the other is banned

The word "orfoz" in the local names is misleading. In the communiqué, orfoz means Epinephelus marginatus, and fishing for that species is completely banned; it cannot be kept whatever its size, weight or season. The dusky grouper is usually dark brown, its body covered in irregular pale blotches, and the edges of its fins are light-coloured; the white grouper lacks this blotchy look.

There is also a general side to the rule: in the communiqué, the limit of 1 fish per day and the closed season of 1 June – 31 August also apply to Epinephelus species other than white grouper and dusky grouper. If you are not sure whether the fish in your hands is a white grouper or a dusky grouper, release it. The scientific name decides, not the folk name.

Productive months and the closed season

The Aegean and Mediterranean rows each record seven productive months. The closed season cuts three of them:

In the end four months are left in both seas, and they split into two parts. In the Mediterranean the window opens a month earlier in spring, in the Aegean it closes a month later in autumn. Even though June, July and August look productive in the record, any white grouper caught in these three months goes back into the water, whatever its size.

Where: rocky depths

The white grouper's recorded habitat is the rocky depths. The two records word the ecological group slightly differently: one says rock and reef, the other rock and sand. They also differ on how catchable it is from shore, one saying "medium", the other "low". That difference makes sense for a fish that lives in deep spots where rock meets sand; in practice the white grouper is mostly a species reached by boat. Rock clusters on the bottom, wrecks and the edges where the shallows break into deep water are the general description of the places such a fish shelters in; rather than waiting a long time over a sandy flat, it makes more sense to look for these edges.

Our catalogue has records for the Aegean and the Mediterranean; there is no white grouper record for the Marmara or the Black Sea. The species has not yet been linked to individual fishing spots, the record stands at sea level; for that reason we can't give a spot count per province. You can check the depth and bottom type near you on the map.

Bait and technique

In both seas the main bait is listed as "squid / slow jig". The natural bait list is shared: European squid, common cuttlefish and European sardine. The regional supporting baits differ; in the Aegean European sardine, mamun and sülünez, in the Mediterranean European sardine, European squid and shrimp. On the artificial lure side there is a single record: slow jig. On technique too, both rows say the same thing: bottom and jig.

The white grouper is known as a fish that tries to bolt into a rock hole the moment it takes the hook. For this reason bottom fishing needs sturdy tackle and a firm pull in the first seconds that drags the fish away from the rock; if the fish gets into the hole, the line can rub against the rock and snap. In slow jigging the metal lure is lifted off the bottom with short bursts and let fall with a sway, and the strike often comes during that fall.

A white grouper under the legal size

A white grouper pulled up from the depths can be affected by the pressure difference on its way to the surface; a fish whose swim bladder has swollen may struggle to return to the bottom even when released. Rather than insisting on a spot where fish under 50 centimetres keep coming, moving elsewhere is the better call, both for the fish and for your catch. The same care applies to a white grouper caught during the closed season.

Judging by eye is misleading when measuring: on a big-headed, stocky fish, 45 and 50 centimetres look very close together. Don't target this species without taking a measuring tape on the boat.

There is also a biological reason the limit is kept high. The white grouper is known as one of the species that, like the dusky grouper, begins life as a female and turns male as it grows. For that reason large individuals are mostly males; selectively catching big fish can lower the number of males in the stock. The limit of one fish per day and the summer closed season, accepted as coinciding with the spawning season, aim to protect this balance. We explained the general logic of the size rule in the post what is the minimum legal size.

Summary table of the rules

The figures come from communiqué no. 6/2 on recreational fishing; the official communiqué is the binding one, so check the current publication before you go fishing. The limits for all species are on the legal fish sizes page, and the species whose fishing is completely banned are in the post which fish are banned. The white grouper's sea-by-sea month, bait and technique records are on the white grouper species page.