Flirt or flight? How humans are scaring fish off finding a mate

Scientists studying squaretail grouper have found that the increasing presence of fishermen is changing their behavior. The fish are becoming more scared of humans and spending less time on courting behavior, which could impact population levels. Researchers at a UK university have been studying the fish for 10 years in India’s Lakshadweep archipelago. The intensification of fishing in the area, particularly spearfishing in the water, has led to the fish recognizing humans as predators. This has affected reproduction as groupers only mate during spawning events, where human fishing pressure is high. The decline in population and reduced reproductive ability could have significant repercussions.