The European seabass was the first marine non-salmonid species to be commercially cultured in Europe. Although it was traditionally farmed in ponds and lagoons, the majority of production nowadays comes from offshore sea cages. Most hatcheries maintain their own broodstock units to ensure a reliable and sufficient supply of high-quality eggs. These broodstock units consist of breeders of varying ages, which may be captured from the wild or selected from farmed populations.

The management of captive broodstock involves several stages, including natural maturation, induced ovulation through manipulation of photoperiod or the use of hormones, fertilisation in spawning tanks, and egg incubation in open-water circulation systems. The early rearing and pre-fattening stages typically take place in land-based facilities, while the grow-out phase occurs in sea cages.

Sea cages used for seabass farming are usually located in sheltered or protected bays. Once transferred to these cages, juveniles are fed either manually or via automatic feeders at regular intervals, often every two hours. They remain in these cages for approximately one to one and a half years until they reach market size.

Prior to harvesting, the fish undergo a period of starvation, the duration of which depends on water temperature and feeding rates. Once adequately starved, the seabass are removed from the cages using vacuum pumps or dip nets. They are typically slaughtered by thermal shock, achieved through immersion in ice-cold water saturated with carbon dioxide, a method used to minimise stress and suffering.