by Constantinos C Mylonas, Project Coordinator and Kriton Grigorakis, New
product development (HCMR, Greece), Hanna Rosenfeld, Reproduction &
Genetics – Grey mullet leader (NCM-IOLR, Israel), William Koven, Nutrition and
Larval & Grow out husbandry - Grey mullet leader (NCM-IOLR, Israel), Luis
Guerrero, New product development leader (IRTA, Spain), Rocio Robles,
Dissemination Leader (CTAQUA, Spain; actual affiliation Testing Blue SL, Spain)Exploring the biological and socio-economic potential of new-emerging candidate fish species for the expansion of the European aquaculture industry – the DIVERSIFY project (EU FP7-GA603121)
Another one of the species included in the EU-funded DIVERSIFY project (see April issue of International Aquafeed), which ran between 2013 and 2018 was the Grey mullet (Mugil cephalus).
Farming of grey mullet has been practiced for centuries, but production of this
potentially invaluable source of animal protein in Europe has been small and
non-intensive (Nash & Koningsberg, 1981; Pillay, 1993).
It is a euryhaline species, found throughout the world (Oren, 1981) and is a rapid-growing, omnivorous teleost that can be reared over the wide geographical and temperature range of the Mediterranean basin (Crosetti, 2015). Therefore, it can be an excellent candidate for the enhancement of aquaculture in earthen ponds, coastal lagoons, and deserted salinas that exist throughout the EU Mediterranean countries.
During the autumn and winter months adults migrate to the sea in large aggregations to spawn. When juveniles are 16–20 mm, they migrate to inshore waters and estuaries, where they can be collected for farming operations during late August to early December.
Most of the flathead grey mullet fry used in commercial aquaculture are collected from the wild, especially in the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia and Gulf States and South East Asia.
Cultured flathead grey mullet is generally grown semi-intensively in polyculture ponds that can include common carp, grass carp, silver carp, Nile tilapia, milkfish and European seabass. Although growth has been reported highest in lower salinity water, they can be successfully reared in fresh water, brackish water and sea water.
Full-scale commercial production of grey mullet in monoculture is still in its infancy. Induced spawning and production of fry on a limited scale for aquaculture has been reported in Italy, Israel and Egypt. Hatchery produced juvenile females have been grown to 1.9 kg in two years on a fishmeal-containing pelleted feed.
The development of a fishmeal-free feed will reduce the cost of fish production and will be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This means grey mullet would be more acceptable to an increasingly aware consumer public that demands sustainability and lower environmental impact.
Read more HERE.
Another one of the species included in the EU-funded DIVERSIFY project (see April issue of International Aquafeed), which ran between 2013 and 2018 was the Grey mullet (Mugil cephalus).
It is a euryhaline species, found throughout the world (Oren, 1981) and is a rapid-growing, omnivorous teleost that can be reared over the wide geographical and temperature range of the Mediterranean basin (Crosetti, 2015). Therefore, it can be an excellent candidate for the enhancement of aquaculture in earthen ponds, coastal lagoons, and deserted salinas that exist throughout the EU Mediterranean countries.
During the autumn and winter months adults migrate to the sea in large aggregations to spawn. When juveniles are 16–20 mm, they migrate to inshore waters and estuaries, where they can be collected for farming operations during late August to early December.
Most of the flathead grey mullet fry used in commercial aquaculture are collected from the wild, especially in the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia and Gulf States and South East Asia.
Cultured flathead grey mullet is generally grown semi-intensively in polyculture ponds that can include common carp, grass carp, silver carp, Nile tilapia, milkfish and European seabass. Although growth has been reported highest in lower salinity water, they can be successfully reared in fresh water, brackish water and sea water.
Full-scale commercial production of grey mullet in monoculture is still in its infancy. Induced spawning and production of fry on a limited scale for aquaculture has been reported in Italy, Israel and Egypt. Hatchery produced juvenile females have been grown to 1.9 kg in two years on a fishmeal-containing pelleted feed.
The development of a fishmeal-free feed will reduce the cost of fish production and will be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This means grey mullet would be more acceptable to an increasingly aware consumer public that demands sustainability and lower environmental impact.
Read more HERE.
The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by Perendale Publishers Ltd
For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news
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