Israel Launches $7M Project to Breed Tuna in Eilat
Israel is investing $7.9 million in a new Eilat facility to breed tuna, aiming to overcome reliance on wild-caught fish for commercial farming.
Jerusalem, 9 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel is launching a NIS 24 million ($7.9 million) project to develop domestic tuna breeding and fry production, Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter announced in Eilat on Wednesday.
An agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Israel Institute for Marine and Lake Research will establish a controlled, land-based facility for producing tuna eggs and fry. The facility will include four breeding tanks and water-treatment and reuse systems.
The project aims to overcome a key obstacle to commercial tuna farming, which currently relies heavily on wild-caught fish for stocking. Officials expect the facility to be populated within two years and say commercial production could begin within about five years.