Mike Sipos is a Florida Sea Grant Agent for University of Florida IFAS Extension office in Collier County and a native to Southwest Florida. Michael received his BS in Zoology and MS in Fisheries Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida. Mike’s previous experience includes being a university fisheries biologist and working with aquaculture operations from FL to around the world. In his current position, Mike educates stakeholders to support his programmatic areas of sustainable fisheries, environmental literacy and stewardship.

Grouper have a special place in Floridian’s hearts whether they appear on a dinner plate, on the end of a fishing line or spotted while diving cruising around a reef. Come to this seminar to learn more about the diverse Serranidae fish family, characteristics genera found in Florida, the significance grouper species to our state and a special aside on the largest of the Atlantic grouper species; the Goliath. We will also discuss the Great Goliath Grouper County Citizen Science Program where volunteer divers can help natural resource managers record the presence, abundance, and size distribution of these impressive fish annually during the first two weeks of June.