Acuicultura Cádiz | @misPeces
Greater amberjack has become one of the main recipients of public funding intended to diversify Spanish marine fish farming. Three business initiatives in Andalusia and the Valencian Community are mobilising around €18 million to develop a hatchery and two grow-out plants using recirculating aquaculture systems.
The projects are being developed by Ocean Aquaculture Hatchery, which plans to build a juvenile production facility in Carboneras; Alicante Aquaculture, which has installed a grow-out module at the Port of Alicante; and Acuicultura Cádiz EME450.1, the developer of a RAS facility to greater amberjack production in El Puerto de Santa María.
| Project | Activity | Associated investment | Public funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acuicultura Cádiz EME450.1 and Futuna Blue | RAS grow-out and production support | More than €14m | ≈€7.02m |
| Alicante Aquaculture | RAS grow-out at the Port of Alicante | €13.77m | ≈€6.00m* |
| Ocean Aquaculture Hatchery | Broodstock, hatchery and nursery | €12.79m | €5.28m |
| Total | ≈€18.30m | ||
* Estimate based on the total cost of the operation and the published European co-financing rate. Confirmation is pending publication of the complete funding decision by the Valencian regional government.
The largest allocation is associated with Acuicultura Cádiz EME450.1 and Futuna Blue España. The grow-out plant, designed to reach an annual production capacity of 450 tonnes, received €6.88 million in public funding towards as accepted investment of approximately €14 million. A further €137,707.95 was awarded to Futuna Blue España in May 2026 to optimise its production processes.
Alicante Aquaculture, meanwhile, is producing greater amberjack in a brand-new grow-out facility using recirculating aquaculture technology on a 8,875-square-metre site at Pier 11 in the Port of Alicante. According to Spain’s national list of operations selected for support under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, the project involves an investment of €13.77 million and an EU contribution equivalent to 30.51% of its total cost. This percentage represents approximately €4.20 million in European funding.
Alicante Aquaculture has also announced plans to build its own hatchery and control broodstock, eggs, juveniles and grow-out, reducing its dependence on the still-limited commercial supply of greater amberjack juveniles.
The third project will be built on the site of Endesa’s former thermal power station in Carboneras, Almería. Ocean Aquaculture Hatchery has been awarded a €5.28 million grant towards an accepted investment of €12.79 million. The funding comprises €3.70 million from the EMFAF and €1.58 million from the Andalusian regional government.
The hatchery budget includes €5.38 million for civil works and €6.08 million for the recirculating system. The facility will have dedicated areas for broodstock, incubation, larval rearing, live feed production, nursery, weaning and water treatment.
The Andalusian funding decision did not approve the company’s request for an advance payment equivalent of 20% of the grant.
Ocean Aquaculture intends the hatchery to form part of a vertical integrated project that also includes offshore grow-out facilities. The company says the juveniles supply both its own farms and other Mediterranean producers, without specifying who its future customer will be.
The available evidence reveals significant public support for building industrial capacity around greater amberjack in Spain, covering reproduction juveniles’ production through to commercial land-based grow-out.
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