Comparison of growth performance of six Mediterranean fish species reared under intensive farming conditions in Crete (Greece), in raceways with the use of self feeders <B>Comparison of growth performance of six Mediterranean fish species reared under intensive farming conditions in Crete (Greece), in raceways with the use of self feeders</B><P> </B><B>P. Divanach(1) , M. Kentouri(1,2), G. Charalambakis(1), F. Pouget(3), and A. Sterioti(1)</B><I><P> (1) Institute of Marine Biology of Crete, PO Box 2214, GR-71003, Iraklion, Crete, Greece<BR> (2)University of Crete, Department of Biology, PO Box 1470, GR-71110 Iraklion, Crete, Greece<BR> (3) CEMAGREF, Pisciculture Experimentale, F-40360 Donzacq, France</I><B><P> Abstract</B><P> The need to further diversify their production with the introduction of new, high valued fishes is well anticipated by fish farmers. To assess the feasibility of intensively farming four species common in the Mediterranean sea, these were reared under intensive conditions in open raceways in Crete. They were all offered the same commercial diet by self feeding devices for an extended period, from fry to market size fish. These species were sharpsnout sea bream <I>(Puntazzo puntazzo</I> L.), red sea bream <I>(Pagrus pagrus </I>L.), white sea bream <I>(Diplodus sargus sargus), </I>and annular sea bream <I>(Diplodus annularis). </I>Their growth performances were compared with those of gilthead sea bream <I>(Sparus aurata), </I>and sea bass <I>(Dicentrarchas labrax) </I>already successfully farmed in the Mediterranean region and which were reared under the same conditions. The results are discussed in relation with the feasibility of profitably cultivating these fishes. It is suggested that red sea bream and sharpsnout sea bream may be successfully reared, while the growth rates of while sea bream and annular sea bream are very slow, thus rendering these species inappropriate for intensive aquaculture.<B><P> Key Words:</B> Intensive marine fish farming, Sparidae, Self-feeding, Growth.<P> PRODUCTION, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY. Bordeaux Aquaculture '92. G. Barnabe and P. Kestemont (Eds). European Aquaculture Society. Special Publication No. 18, Ghent, Belgium. 1993.<P>