Israel Invests $6.5 Million in National Tuna Farming Project

Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute have signed an agreement to establish a controlled facility for producing tuna eggs and fry. The Ministry of Agriculture will invest NIS 24 million (approximately $6.5 million) in this national project aimed at developing an independent Israeli capability for tuna breeding.

The initiative seeks to overcome a major hurdle in establishing a local marine agriculture sector: a consistent supply of fry for fish farms. The project will involve constructing four land-based tanks to house tuna breeding stock. These will be complemented by water treatment and recycling systems, as well as a nursery for raising fry from hatching to a stage suitable for transfer to farms.

Populating the facility is expected to begin within two years. Subsequent research will focus on controlled breeding techniques and improving fry survival rates. The Ministry of Agriculture estimates that within five years, significant research and development gaps could be bridged, paving the way for commercial production. Within a decade, the project could lay the groundwork for an Israeli industry supplying tuna fry to domestic farms and international markets.

Tuna was chosen for its high economic value, rapid growth rate, and the scientific challenge of cultivating it in controlled conditions. Unlike sea bream, which reaches about half a kilogram in 18 months, tuna can reach approximately five kilograms in a year under suitable conditions. This, the Ministry believes, could enhance the economic viability of Israeli fish farms and their competitiveness.

The government's involvement is intended to address the high scientific and infrastructural risks that currently deter private investment. Oren Lavi, Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that the Eilat-based tuna domestication project aims to translate scientific knowledge into independent Israeli production capacity, expanding protein sources and fostering a knowledge-intensive marine agriculture industry. He added that the state is investing where risks are too high for the private market alone, to pave the way for an Israeli marine agriculture industry that provides protein from the sea.