Age, growth and population parameters of the spiny squirrelfish, Sargocentron spiniferum (Forsskål, 1775) from Shalateen fishing area, Red Sea, Egypt

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The study of age and growth of fish is essential for understanding their biology and population dynamics. Age and growth of Sargocentron spiniferum, from the Egyptian Red Sea at Shalateen fishing area were studied, depending on the otoliths’ readings using a non-linear back-calculation method. A total of 685 specimens (17.7–45.8 cm in TL) of S. spiniferum were aged and their maximum life span was 7 years. The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters for the investigated S. spiniferum specimens were: L∞ = 53.25 cm, K = 0.23 y-1, to = -0.66 years and the computed index of growth performance (Ø') was 2.81. The mortality rates were 1.04, 0.47 and 0.57 y-1 for total, natural and fishing mortality rates, respectively. The spiny squirrelfish fishery in Shalateen fishing area is working around its optimum situation where the estimated exploitation ratio is 0.55. The obtained data from this study are the basic inputs of the analytical models used to achieve the wise management of this potential fishery.

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