While Florida is known for it's seafood, grouper is the capital gamefish of Tampa.   Sammy's Seafood, specializes in locally caught domestic grouper and supply most of the local restaurants (who pride themselves on choosing to serve the pricier but higher quality domestic grouper) with the domestic fare.

BLACK GROUPER  -   WILD LOCAL Black Grouper's snow-white meat makes it one of the most sought after fish for the white tablecloth restaurants to the seafood & sushi markets. Black grouper fillets are typically bigger and fatter than the red grouper due to their deeper water habitat and colder environment. This fat content makes for a buttery, rich fillet. Domestic Black Grouper is the most expensive and highest quality grouper to be carried. Import whole black grouper can also be brought in from Mexico and areas further south. Gag grouper averages 7-10 pounds at their legal catching limit. Blacks larger than 20 pounds are typically referred to as carberitas.

SCAMP GROUPER  -     WILD LOCAL Scamp comprises 16% of the overall black grouper catch in the southeastern U.S. and they are favored for their flavor, texture, and tenderness. Whole fish they run similar to the black grouper. The scamp is the smallest of the shallow water groupers.

GAG GROUPER  -    WILD LOCAL Gag grouper comprises the largest of the overall black grouper catch in the southeastern U.S. and they are favored for their flavor, texture, and tenderness. Whole fish run similar to the blacks and are paid the same price. Gags generally live 30 years and are smaller in weight and size than the black grouper.

RED GROUPER  -  WILD LOCAL The most popular of all domestic grouper, these excellent, meaty fish have few bones and are sweeter and milder than black grouper. Red grouper are easily recognized by their color and by the sloped, straight line of their spiny dorsal fin. Red groupers usually ambush their prey and swallow it hole, preffering crabs, shrimp, lobster, octopus, squid and fish that live close to reefs.