Spawning induction, egg management, larval rearing and weaning of the flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) and other relevant mugilidae.

The cosmopolitan flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) like other Mugilidae species is a catadromous, detritivore teleost. It is an oviparous gonochoristic species, characterized by a synchronous ovarian development and one spawning period observed from July to October, depending on geographical location. Males mature between 1 and 2 years of age, while females reach maturity between 2 and 4 years of age. Recently, the family of Mugilidae has been identified as a promising species for aquaculture. This species has fast growth, does not require high amounts of dietary fish meal and oil and can be reared in a wide range of salinities and culture systems, making this species the perfect candidate to boost sustainable aquaculture production in the Mediterranean region. In Italy, mullet farming is still almost entirely based on extensive techniques, with wild juveniles being reared in coastal lagoons and semi-intensive ponds. In this context, closing the life cycle under captive conditions, producing hatchery reared juveniles and their subsequent farming has been suggested as a suitable strategy for the enhancement of depleted wild populations and for boosting the local lucrative production of bottarga.