Abstract This study represents the first assessment and evaluation of age, growth, mortality and
sexual maturity for Parupeneus forsskali in order to support the development of effective management
plans. Samples were collected from the commercial landings in Hurghada fishing port,
between May 2010 and June 2011. Age was determined for 456 samples using otoliths, scales
and length frequency analysis. Growth parameters were estimated by applying the von
Bertalanffy growth function. The asymptotic length (L1), the growth rate (K) and (t0) were
estimated as 30.0 cm; 0.38 year1 and 0.434 year respectively. The annual total mortality (Z),
natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) were estimated at 2.76/year, 0.9/year and 1.86/year.
It is shown that the resource of P. forsskali in the Red Sea is overfished, since the present (F) was
greater than the target biological reference points (Fopt = 0.43 and Flimit = 0.57) and the exploitation
ratio (E) 0.67 was intensively over than the predicted value (