Growth, Mortality and Yield Per Recruit of the Bogue Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Mediterranean Coast, North Sinai, Egypt

The current study's objectives were to investigate the growth parameters, mortality, and yield per recruit of the bogue fish, Boops boops (Linneaus, 1758), in North Sinai, Egypt (Mediterranean coast) from January 2022 to December 2022. A total of 868 specimens of the bogue were monthly collected from the main landing site of El Arish Fisheries. The length and weight of the sampled fish ranged from 8.4 to 23.1 cm and 6.1 to 138.2 g, respectively, with an average total length of 13.57 cm and body weight of 29.84 g. The length-weight relationship was expressed using the equation using  15W=0.0097L3.0433"> .  The von Bertalanffy growth equations were calculated giving 𝐿∞ = 24.15 cm, k = 0.34 year^-1 and 𝑡₀ = -1.2916 year. The growth performance index (𝛷′) was calculated as 2.2973. The length at first capture was estimated to be 11.37 cm. The total mortality rate, natural mortality rate, fishing mortality rate and exploitation rate were 2.19 year^-1, 0.86 year^-1, 1.33 year^-1 and 0.61 year^-1, respectively. The relative yield per recruit analysis (Y'/R) revealed that the current level of exploitation is much higher than E_0.5 (0.362), indicating that the population is overexploited and subject to fishing pressure. To ensure sustainable management of this resource, the existing extraction rate should be reduced by 40% (i.e. from 0.610 to 0.362).