ABOUT US
Ardag Red Sea Mariculture is the most established and largest mariculture company in Israel. Launched in the 1980’s, after several years of development and training at Israel’s National Center for Mariculture (NCM), Ardag is focused on raising and breeding numerous marine fish species. Ardag currently operates fish farms in the Ashdod harbor and at Michmoret in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as a commercial hatchery on the Gulf of Aqaba in the city of Eilat. Our hatchery produces the following species: Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata), European Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), and Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus). In addition to these fish farms, Ardag also holds 50% ownership of the Caviar Galilee Farm, which operates in Kibbutz Dan. The Karat Caviar brand is one of the world’s leading brands, with 95% of the farm’s produce exported worldwide. Ardag is a partnership between five kibbutzim in the southern Arava region: Samar, Yotvata, Grofit, Ketura, and Lotan. The owners have maintained equal ownership in the company since its inception.
OUR HATCHERY
Our hatchery has the capability of producing 7 million fingerlings annually, which are sold to our own cage farms, other farms in Israel, as well as to other customers. The hatchery maintains broodstocks of Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata), European Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), and Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus). We produce fingerlings of these species from our broodstocks both in and out of their natural spawning season. With regard to Gilthead Seabream, we have selectively bred our broodstock for over ten generations for improved growth rate. In the warm water temperatures of the Red Sea, our fingerlings start at two grams and reach 400 grams average weight within 12 months. With more than 35 years of experience, we have developed time-proven protocols that are in everyday practice in our company.
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Ardag can provide fingerlings or technologies to suit your needs.
We are happy to discuss any collaboration or consultancy that might interest you.
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OUR EXPERTISE
​BROODSTOCK MANAGEMENT
- Year-round egg production through
photo-period manipulation
- Hormonal induction of spawning as required
- Genetic breeding programs
NURSERY REARING PROTOCOLS
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LIVE FEED PRODUCTION
- Rotifer production and enrichment
- Artemia production and enrichment
LARVAL REARING PROTOCOLS
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PATHOLOGY
- Identification and treatment of parasites and diseases
WATER TREATMENT MANAGEMENT
- Pumping
- Filtering
- UV sanitization
- Oxygenation
SEA FARMS
Sea Farms was founded by the merger of the two biggest and most long-standing fish farming companies in Israel: Ardag and Dag-Suf. Together we have been farming fish on and off shore, in cages, RAS and ponds, working to improve genetics and methods, and feeding millions of fish annually. Ardag has experience farming fish in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and currently holds 50% of Sea Farms.
ASHDOD FARM
- Farm located in the Ashdod Harbor
- Production capacity of 1,500 tons per year
- Technology: floating cages near the breakwater
- Main species: Gilthead seabream
- Active since 2006
MICHMORET FARM
​- Offshore farm three kilometers from the shores of Michmoret
- Current production capacity of 450 tons per year
- Production increase expected in coming years
- Technology: Submerged cages (TLC)
- Main species: Gilthead Seabream
- Active since 2011
OUR TEAM​