This is the plain-coloured adult phase of the Bigeye emperor Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål 1775) (family LETHRINIDAE). This species is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa east to the Hawaiian and Line islands and Pitcairn group.

Dear Mr. Gilles,

Could it be a species of Girella ?

Good luck!

It couldn't be a Girella; species in that genus have 14-16 dorsal-fin spines and 12-16 soft rays, while the fish in the photograph has only 10 spines and 10 soft rays

Reference:

Yagishita, N. and T. Nakabo 2000. Revision of the genus Girella (Girellidae) from East Asia. Ichthyological Research v. 47 (no. 2): 119-135.

Gilles,

Looks like you got the Mozambique seabream, Wattsia mossambica

M. grandoculis body is moderetely deep with a slightly forked tail while the specimen you have does not.  W. mossambica has yellowish tinge to it's body and fin colouration plus indistinct cross bras on the body just like your specimens. Your specimen has distinct head indentation above the eye and so does W. mossambica. In M. grandoculis the head is usually strongly convex above the eye, not the case in your specimen. Also in M. grandoculis a narrow vertical black or dark bar crosses the eye, clearly not the case in your specimen or in W. mossambica. 

Please check this link in

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=Wattsia+mossambica&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&tbm=isch&gws_rd=cr&ei=ZAsIWPKTKJSwjQO68b2wDA#gws_rd=cr&imgrc=q23i7df_5it5VM%3A

Cheers, Tom

thanks guys for your help. VERY much appreciated. know that it is a fisherman from the seychelles FBOA (fishing boat owners association) asking. i will forward the verdict with credits.

 I think  Wattsia mossambica is the correct identification!

Its a fish of family Lethirninidae

Looking at the photograph again, I agree with Tom's identification as Mozambique large-eye bream, Wattsia mossambica (Smith 1957) (family LETHRINIDAE). That species is distributed from East Africa east to Marshall Islands, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia.