The samples of Pennahia pawak were collected at the Behai and Dongfang fishing ports along the coast of Beibu Gulf from 2008 to 2009 and 2018 to 2019. Samples were measured for biological data.Length frequency analysis (ELEFAN) technique with FiSAT Ⅱ software was used to analyze the growth, mortality parameters and exploitation rate to assess the resource utilization status in the two periods. The results indicated that the dominant body length was 11-17 cm and 10-15 cm, with the body length decreasing from 14.83 cm to 12.59 cm in the two periods.The dominant body mass were 30-100 g and 10-80 g, with the body mass decreasing from 85.88 g to 52.91 g. The average of body length and body mass decreased by 15.1% and 38.4%, respectively.The allometric parameter b in the two periods was 2.84 and 3.00, P.pawak tended to isometric growth.L_∞(asymptote length) declined 8.7% from 24.15 cm to 22.05 cm while L_c(first catchable size) declined 18.1% from 12.56 cm to 10.29 cm. The growth parameter K decreased from 0.39 to 0.32. The total mortality coefficient decreased from 1.39 to 1.17. The natural mortality coefficient of P. pawak was 0.98 and 0.90.The fishing mortality coefficients was 0.41 and 0.28. The exploitation rate decreased from 0.29 to 0.24, respectively. The population structure of P.pawak in the Beibu Gulf showed a tendency to miniaturize and it was not over-exploited.