May 28, 2025
Vietnam successfully breeds yellowtail kingfish
For the first time, Vietnam—through its Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1 –successfully bred yellowtail kingfish (Seriola dumerili), a prized marine species.
This milestone opens major potential for the country's industrial-scale offshore aquaculture sector.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the yellowtail kingfish is a highly favoured fish in Japan, valued at around 1 million VND per kilogramme (approximately US$40 per kg).
Yellowtail kingfish is widely farmed in countries such as Chile and Mexico, and it plays a dominant role in Japan's aquaculture industry, accounting for over 50% of total aquaculture production. The breed is a native species and its experimental farming took place in 1991 at Bai Nam (Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang), using broodstock sourced from the wild. However, as reliance on wild fish became unsustainable, the model proved unstable.
Identified as a premium offshore aquaculture species, yellowtail kingfish grows rapidly—reaching up to 3kg within 18 months. Initial research into breeding shows that the species can begin accepting formulated feed instead of natural food as early as day 18 of the nursery stage. This transition phase is a critical technical challenge in aquaculture, and overcoming it marks a key breakthrough.
Previously, countries such as Japan and China attempted to reduce dependency on wild seed by developing artificial breeding programmes. However, cold climate conditions negatively affected fertilisation rates, embryo development, larval survival, and the availability of appropriate larval-stage feed - leading to poor juvenile survival rates and limited success.
Yellowtail kingfish, also known as striped amberjack, thrives in warm seas around the world and is particularly suitable for offshore cage farming. Its adaptability to distant-sea aquaculture offers a promising solution to relieve pressure on coastal fish farming areas in the future.
- VietnamNet Global
