Acqua Azzurra Achieves Breakthrough in Greater Amberjack Production in Italy
For the first time in Italy, Acqua Azzurra Società Agricola S.r.l. has successfully raised 130,000 greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) from eggs to the juvenile stage. This remarkable achievement marks a historic milestone for the Mediterranean aquaculture sector, positioning greater amberjack as a promising new species for sustainable and profitable fish farming.
A New Star in Mediterranean Aquaculture
Greater amberjack is not just another addition to aquaculture—it represents a strategic opportunity for the region’s blue economy. Known for its rapid growth, high market value, and exceptional flesh quality, the species is already prized in global seafood markets. However, wild stocks have suffered from overfishing, making the ability to breed and rear the fish in captivity a major step toward sustainable production and resource conservation.
From Egg to Juvenile: The Success Story
The production cycle began in June 2025, when eggs were collected from broodstock held in offshore cages.
Key results include:
- 2.3 million eggs incubated, with over 50% hatching success.
- A stepwise feeding protocol (rotifers → Artemia → micro-feeds) ensuring healthy growth and survival.
- No disease outbreaks, confirmed through extensive microbiological and parasitological testing.
- 130,000 robust juveniles, each weighing about 6 grams, are ready for transfer to offshore grow-out facilities.
This success highlights the company’s strong scientific expertise and commitment to innovation, achieving what has long been viewed as a technically demanding challenge in aquaculture.
A Game-Changing Scientific Milestone
Acqua Azzurra’s accomplishment demonstrates, for the first time at an industrial scale in the Mediterranean, the complete life cycle closure of greater amberjack. This represents a crucial step toward scaling up production and diversifying the region’s aquaculture portfolio beyond traditional species such as gilthead seabream and European seabass.
What This Means for the Future
The implications extend far beyond one farm’s success:
- Diversification of aquaculture species and markets.
- Reduced fishing pressure on wild amberjack populations.
- Sustainable growth of a high-value, environmentally responsible industry.
Greater amberjack has now moved from experimental research to commercial reality, signaling the dawn of a new “blue revolution” in Mediterranean aquaculture—one where science, sustainability, and innovation work hand in hand to secure the future of seafood production.
Acqua Azzurra Achieves Breakthrough in Greater Amberjack Production in Italy
