MAGIATIKO- KOΤΙΓΙΑΜΑ

Research Directions:

Reproduction and physiology

Fish nutrition and feeding

Production technologies

Fish behaviour

Aquaculture Genetics

Description:

Greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) is a fast-growing and large-sized pelagic fish that is found almost all over the world in the temperate zone. The species is related to the yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata) reared in Japan, the yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) reared in Australia and the longfin yellowtail (Seriola rivoliana) reared in America. These fish are mainly sold in relatively expensive restaurants and as sushi-sashimi due to the very good quality of their flesh. The greater amberjack, mainly due to its rapid growth and large size (it can reach 3 kg in 2 years), is the main species in the effort of diversification of Greek and Mediterranean fish farming.

As part of the DIVERSIFY program, which was coordinated by HCMR and which involves most of the partners in this proposal, we have managed to control the reproduction of the greater amberjack and have good quality eggs for fry production. The results of the larval breeding in the last two years have been very encouraging, and we believe we are in the process of improving our knowledge on issues that have to do with optimizing both egg and juvenile production.

Given the interest of the three companies (Argosaronikos, Galaxidi and Irida) in the ongoing effort to integrate the greater amberajack into the production of Greek fish farming, and the availability of two very good breeding groups in Argosaronikos and Galaxidi, we can continue our cooperation and management experiments in breeding and production of fry, within the framework of the GSRT's funding "Aquaculture". The objective of the proposal is to

(a) improve broodstock management for better egg production, and

(b) develop improved larval and fry production protocols based on assessment of ontogenesis, skeletal malformations and the use of probiotics in food.