This profile refers to Epinephelus malabar (Malabar grouper) and is known in the fisheries trade in Indonesia as kerapu malabar, that is caught in multi-species fisheries targeting snappers nei, groupers nei and other reef fishes.In terms of the Fisheries Management Area, this profile refers to the FMA-713 assessment unit that covers Makassar Strait, Bone Bay, Bali Sea, and Flores Sea (under the jurisdiction of 10 provinces). However, in short, we refer it to “Makassar Strait – Flores Sea”. 

Malabar grouper landings are not reported to FAO (FAO 2020). Also, according to data provided by the FIP, this species is not included in the top 20 species caught in Indonesia (Banks 2020). This report mentions that the most common species of groupers caught in WPP-713 is areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus). Official national statistics do not provide catch at the species level (BPS- Statistics Indonesia 2019). In the interim harvest control rule, the priority grouper species identified in the FMA-713 are orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus), white-edged lyretail (Variola albimarginata), and leopard coralgrouper (Plectropomus leopardus) (MMAF, 2020). Clarification of the species target by the fishery is needed. This profile may undergo restructuring in the future as new information comes to light. This profile refers to Makassar - Flores (WPP 713) assessment unit.