This study illustrates the results on the collection, transportation and captivity acclimation of wild S. dumerilii for building a broodstock. The study was carried out within a national research project started in 1996. Sexually mature fish were collected in the Pelagie Islands (South Thyrrhenian Sea) by purse seine vessels and stocked in a 200 m3 submersible cage at -18 meter depth. During the 1997 reproductive season several attempts were made to collect eggs released in the rearing cage. In 1998 the broodstock were transferred in circular concrete tanks and fertilised eggs were obtained after hormone treatment. Larval rearing was carried out using microalgae, rotifers and nauplii of Artemia salina. Biological and SEM observations were carried out to study the larval ontogenesis with particular regard to the feeding apparatus. The preliminary results validate some of the transfer and cage stocking techniques applied and point out the possibility of obtaining eggs from captive broodstock.