ANALYSIS

Meagre or Greater Amberjack: Which could be the salmon of Mediterranean?

Spain, 19 September 2025 |

Pez limón vs Corvina

The success of Norway’s salmon aquaculture industry is often cited as the benchmark for any nation or region seeking to build a high-value fish farming sector. From modest beginnings, it has grown into a cornerstone of the Norwegian economy, contributing around 1.5% of GDP and providing more than 57,000 jobs. This “miracle” was underpinned by a holistic strategy combining technological innovation, value chain control and regional development. Yet the model has not been without criticism, particularly concerning its environmental footprint and questions of social equity.

While Norway has cold waters and salmon, the Mediterranean possesses enormous untapped potential with native species that could replicate such success. Two candidates stand out as the most promising contenders for the title of “Mediterranean salmon”: the meagre (Argyrosomus regius) and the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili).

The meagre is already well-regarded in Mediterranean cuisine for its firm, white flesh. It has shown excellent adaptation to farming conditions, with fast growth rates and efficient feed conversion. Market potential is strong, both domestically and internationally. However, for meagre farming to develop into a large-scale industry, a strategic approach is needed. Investment in R&D must be increased to define genetics, optimise diets and improve broodstock management. Building a robust local supply chain is also key to reducing reliance on imports and ensuring that economic benefits remain within coastal regions.

Greater amberjack, by contrast, is a fast-growing pelagic species already being farmed successfully in part of Asia. Its premium-quality flesh has a well-defined niche in fine dining and in the sushi and sashimi trade. For greater amberjack to thrive in the Mediterranean, significant technical hurdles still need to be overcome, particularly in open-sea cage farming and in achieving full control of the species’ life cycle. Much like salmon, however, amberjack farming could bring substantial socio-economic benefits to coastal and rural communities if expansion is carefully planned to stimulate local employment.

The path forward for both meagre and greater amberjack should mirror that of Norwegian salmon: success is not measured solely in terms of production volume, but in the creation of shared value. That means continuous innovation in breeding, nutrition and health management, as well as extending beyond grow-out to include processing, marketing and the development of by-products.

Above all, the Mediterranean industry must place sustainability and transparency at the heart of its strategy. Only with responsible practices will farmers gain the trust of local communities and the confidence of consumers. If Mediterranean nations can adopt a Norwegian-style approach, these species could drive a new era of economic and social development across the region-one that goes well beyond aquaculture itself.