Growth Pattern, Selectivity and Stock Status of Spangled Emperor Lethrinus nebulosus from the Red Sea Coast off Shalatein | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | ||||
| Article 148, Volume 29, Issue 4, July and August 2025, Page 4717-4732 PDF (715.76 K) | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.446687 | ||||
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| Author | ||||
| Mehanna et al. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Fisheries and aquaculture are important sectors in the Egyptian economy, providing an affordable source of animal protein and supporting national food security. These sectors also contribute to foreign exchange earnings and create numerous employment opportunities. Emperors (family Lethrinidae) are among the most abundant demersal species along Egypt’s Red Sea coast, accounting for approximately 25% of the total artisanal catch in the area and generating over 800 million Egyptian pounds in annual economic returns. The population dynamics of the spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) were investigated based on 1,135 specimens collected from the Shalatein fishing grounds during a fish resource survey conducted between February 2024 and May 2025. The total length of sampled individuals ranged from 18.5 to 77.0cm. Estimated biological and fisheries parameters included age and growth characteristics, von Bertalanffy growth parameters (L∞, K, and t₀), sex ratio, length at first sexual maturity, and gear selectivity. Results indicated that the current exploitation rate of L. nebulosus exceeds the optimum level, reflecting high fishing pressure on the population. Additionally, the hook size currently used is too small to retain larger, mature individuals. This provides further evidence of ongoing overexploitation of L. nebulosus in the Red Sea and underscores the urgent need to review and revise management strategies to ensure the sustainability of this valuable species. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Shalatein; Emperor; Growth; Selectivity; Population structure; Stock status | ||||
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