Squaretail coralgrouper

Fishing and seasons

Abundance season, spawning season and legal closure are three separate things. Each line carries its kind of evidence, its region and its source; what is not documented is said to be undocumented.

Seasons

• In the Jazan region: the Nagel and Tarradi fishing season runs from early July to the end of February, according to a Saudipedia article on the Kanna season (2 February 2023), which states no year and does not say whether the season is fixed each year or set by regulation. It is a local description for Jazan only: not generalised to the Kingdom, not a statement that fishing is barred the rest of the year, and not a ranking of the best months for line fishing. The source gives the two local names without naming a scientific species. Published local description Saudi territorial waters, Red Sea · Jazan
  Source

  ما موسم الكنة؟ — Jazan fishing-seasons list: Najel and Tarradi entry · Unconfirmed
  The page, dated 02/02/2023, gives the Najel and Tarradi season in the Jazan region as early July to the end of February. (our rendering of what the locator holds, not a quotation)

Time of day

• General handlining guidance from an FAO manual: the best times are usually early morning and late evening. It is general advice, not specific to this species and not backed by a Saudi study; the same manual advises also watching the current, the bottom and the presence of bait fish when choosing where to fish. General guidance — not species-specific Global
  Source

  Handlining and squid jigging (FAO Training Series No. 23) — Part I, section 8 "Deciding where and when to fish" (Moon and sun) · Scientifically documented
  States that, as a general rule, the best times for handlining are early in the morning and late in the evening; the right time also depends on the species and place. (our rendering of what the locator holds, not a quotation)

Gear

• A Saudi study of catch trends for both species on the Saudi Red Sea coast (1995–2002) discussed three gears: hand lines, gillnets and traps. The source is a conference-paper abstract that states no season and no bait. Measured in a study Saudi territorial waters, Red Sea
  Source

  Trends in Catches of Plectropomus pessuliferus (Fowler) and Plectropomus areolatus (Ruppel) in the Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia from 1995 to 2002 — Abstract (gear: hand lines, gillnets and traps; catch data 1995–2002) · Scientifically documented
  The abstract discusses hand lines, gillnets and traps for the traditional sector on the Saudi Red Sea coast. (our rendering of what the locator holds, not a quotation)

Bait

• No Saudi bait ranking for this species was found in the sources checked. General handlining guidance from an FAO manual: keep bait fresh and cut it to the right size for the hook and the fish you want to catch; most fishermen find natural bait more effective than artificial. General guidance — not species-specific Global
  Source

  Handlining and squid jigging (FAO Training Series No. 23) — Part I, sections 4, 7 and 9 (hook and mouth size; preparing the bait; matching the prey) · Scientifically documented
  Bait should be fresh, sized to the hook gap and mouth, close to the prey in size, shape and behaviour; natural bait is judged by most fishermen to be more effective than lures. (our rendering of what the locator holds, not a quotation)

Fishery status

• A 2026 assessment of Plectropomus areolatus and P. marisrubri in the Eastern Red Sea, from samples at nine landing sites, finds both overexploited, with spawning biomass well below common sustainability thresholds. The authors say reductions in fishing mortality are required, that more selective hooks and enforced minimum landing sizes are supported by the observed maturity schedules, and that seasonal protection of spawning periods is consistent with the low spawning potential ratios. The abstract gives no figures and no months. Measured in a study Red Sea · Eastern Red Sea (nine landing sites; the abstract does not name them)
  Source

  Life-History Traits and Fisheries of Coral Groupers Plectropomus areolatus (Rüppell, 1830) and Plectropomus marisrubri (Randall & Hoese, 1986) in the Eastern Red Sea — Abstract (Fishes 11(1):29) · Scientifically documented
  Abstract: both species appear overexploited, spawning biomass well below common thresholds; recommends lower fishing mortality, more selective hooks, minimum landing sizes and protection of spawning periods. No figures or months are given. (our rendering of what the locator holds, not a quotation)

Identity and names

• A Saudi study (2005) gives the local name "Taradi" for Plectropomus areolatus, and the 2026 Red Sea study uses the same scientific name, so there is no naming mismatch between the two sources for this species. "Nagel" is a different species. Identity and names Saudi territorial waters, Red Sea
  Source

  Trends in Catches of Plectropomus pessuliferus (Fowler) and Plectropomus areolatus (Ruppel) in the Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia from 1995 to 2002 — Abstract (names and local names) · Scientifically documented
  Gives P. areolatus the local name Taradi (common name squaretail coralgrouper). (our rendering of what the locator holds, not a quotation)

• Spawning months for this species: not documented in the sources checked.
• Best month for line fishing: no Saudi source checked ranks the months. Abundance season, spawning season and legal closure are three separate things.
• Bait ranking: no Saudi comparative trial was found in the sources checked.