Microalga Haematococcus pluvialis Flotow is one of the natural sources of astaxanthin, a pigment widely used in aquaculture, food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. In the present study, the authors investigated the effect of high NaCI concentrations on growth and astaxanthin accumulation in the microalgae. Growth was observed under different salt concentrations (0.8 percent, 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent NaCl) according to two - phase culture mode. The obtained results have indicated that the high NaCI concentrations caused an increase in carotenoid content per cell and a decrease in the algal growth. The best carotenogenic condition by addition of salt was obtained at 2.5 percent NaCI under high temperature. Astaxanthin content per cell increased 4.8 folds in comparison to the initial value, from 10 pg.cell to 48 pg.cell after 15 days of salt stress. The study observed that the accumulation of total lipid content was correlated with an increasing in astaxanthin content. The total lipid content of control was 15 + or - 0.35 percent of dry cell weight whereas that of cell exposed to salt stress was 19 percent + or - 1.3 percent and 26 + or - 0.12 percent at 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent NaCI concentrations, respectively. This study will be an initial basis for the two phase culture process to obtain astaxanthin rich Haematococcus pluvialis biomass.