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Fish farming in the Mediterranean is an important production sector thas only been able to develop as a direct result of the increased availability of fingerlings. To meet the demands of the ongrowing farms, the juvenile supply sector (hatcheries) has had to raise its own production capacity.
FEAP records indicate that the production of juveniles has increased from 180 million in 1995 to a projected 485 million in 2001, noting that Greece has a deficit in its national supply of fingerlings.
Table 3: Juvenile supply of European Seabass and Gilthead Seabream in Europe –Source: FEAP (2001)
|
SPECIES
|
COUNTRY
|
1996
|
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
|
European Seabass - Juveniles
|
CYPRUS
|
1.0
|
1.0
|
1.4
|
0.9
|
2.5
|
|
|
FRANCE
|
10.8
|
10.5
|
16.0
|
20.5
|
22.5
|
|
|
GREECE
|
42.0
|
40.0
|
70.0
|
86.0
|
105.0
|
|
|
ITALY
|
27.5
|
28.0
|
60.0
|
62.0
|
50.0
|
|
|
PORTUGAL
|
0
|
4.0
|
4.2
|
5.7
|
4.9
|
|
|
SPAIN
|
4.0
|
6.0
|
7.1
|
7.3
|
9.3
|
|
|
TURKEY
|
0
|
20.0
|
20.0
|
24.0
|
20.0
|
|
European Seabass - Juveniles Total
|
85.3
|
109.5
|
178.7
|
206.4
|
214.2
|
|
Gilthead Seabream - Juveniles
|
CYPRUS
|
9.0
|
11.0
|
10.5
|
17.2
|
15.0
|
|
|
FRANCE
|
12.6
|
15.9
|
12.0
|
18.6
|
19.0
|
|
|
GREECE
|
53.0
|
60.0
|
80.0
|
101.0
|
130.0
|
|
|
ITALY
|
27.5
|
28.0
|
40.0
|
46.0
|
40.0
|
|
|
PORTUGAL
|
0
|
4.0
|
5.0
|
12.5
|
12.9
|
|
|
SPAIN
|
32.0
|
40.5
|
36.2
|
35.0
|
42.4
|
|
|
TURKEY
|
0
|
2.0
|
2.0
|
6.5
|
3.0
|
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Gilthead Seabream - Juveniles Total
|
134.1
|
161.4
|
185.7
|
236.8
|
262.3
|
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TOTAL JUVENILE SUPPLY
|
219.4
|
270.9
|
364.4
|
443.2
|
476.5
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With an annual production approaching 70,000 tons, the Greek sector requires over 250 million fingerlings of which some 80-85% can be supplied from national hatcheries. The shortfall of 40 million fingerlings has been filled largely by imports from Cypriot and Italian hatcheries. The weaker profitability of the ongrowing sector (compared to the early 90s) means that existing hatcheries have maintained their supply position and have been able to expand with the sector’s requirements.
The increased demand for fingerlings means that price values have not changed in the same way as seen for the market-size fish. The values for fingerlings has lowered for seabream since 1998, dropping from an average of € 0.27 to €0.24/fingerling, while seabass fingerlings have remained stable at €0.22/fingerling. This position is consolidated by the requirement for disease-free fish.
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