The Amberjack Project is a national project and started in 2006. It involves the collaboration between the government pilot research hatchery at Fort San Lucjan and a local private fish farm, Malta Fish farming Ltd. It is told that in these last four years, Malta has already developed techniques whereby fertilised eggs are collected, hatched and reared into juveniles that are then grown into adults in cages.
Experts believe that with advanced broodstock management and plans to produce more eggs in the coming years, it is essential that Malta moves forward and constructs a larger hatchery that will be able to accommodate and utilise eggs produced, thus producing a larger number of juveniles.
Besides, Malta is also seeking more research and knowledge to improve the survival of amberjack juveniles from the hatchery. Studies on larval development, feed trials for juveniles and growth in cages are being carried out. Over the three years of this project, the different institutes and companies from these countries will contribute towards a better understanding of the biology of bluefin tuna within realistic and achievable objectives.
It is told that this three-year project is in its second year and over 150 million good fertilised eggs have been collected from the broodstocks of Spain and Italy, showing that the techniques for broodstock management and egg collection have been successful.
