Florida law states that it is unlawful to harvest, possess or land goliath grouper. Sounds like it would be difficult to get a world record with a fish caught in Florida. Not if you are Rebbeca Reynolds-Wright, IGFA Coordinator of World Records. She was awarded four world records (her husband got one also) for goliaths recently caught near Big Pine Key Florida. Using logic that would make Johny Cochran and O.J. Simpson proud, Jason Schratwieser, IGFA Diretor of Conservation decide that because the law did not specically say "caught" that catching them was O.K.. The law doesn't specifically say "speared", "killed" or "slaughtered" either ,but these action are clearly prohibited.
The Wrights caught, removed from the water, weighed, measured, and photographed these fish before releasing them. Documents on the FWC website clearly state these actions are illegal. Mr. Schratwieser dismisses these documents as "recent interpretations" of the law. He does say that now that the Wrights have their records, no more world record applications for goliath grouper will be accepted from Florida. Is that a rotten goliath grouper that I smell?