The success of this venture was followed by an Experimental Marine Aquaculture Station at Meneou in 1988-1989. Here new species of fish, such as Sheephead Bream, Common Sea Bream, Japanese Bream, Dentex. Rabbit Fish and others, have been and are still being developed. The first private marine fish farms were set up in the late 1980s. Although it was proved that the outbreak was not caused by fish farming, a policy decision was taken that all fattening units should be located in cages in the open sea.
Today there are eight such fish farms in operation.
Three hatcheries and a shrimp farm for feed have also been developed, with production at about 700 tons and increasing quickly. The hatcheries produce about seven million fry a year, enough to launch an export trade of about three million annually. Marine aquaculture is now a growth industry, utilising high technology and producing on an intensive basis high quality fish for a fish-hungry island. Licences are not needed for angling in the sea, for trolling or for spearfishing without diving equipment. Licences are necessary for spearfishing with aqualungs, for fishing with nets and long-lines and for fishing at night with spearguns.