Innovation hailed as key to success for Guangdong's fishing industry

A five-year restructuring of the fishery industry in China's Guangdong province has led to a steady improvement in supply capacity for aquatic products, according to local agricultural authorities.

Today, Guangdong leads the nation in key fishery indicators like total output of aquatic products, fishery output value, aquaculture production, and marine fish farming output, according to Chen Zongyun, deputy director of the province's Agricultural and Rural Department.

The province's total output of aquatic products reached 9.66 million tons in 2024, marking a 10.34 percent increase since the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

Among the output, marine aquaculture production reached 3.77 million tons in 2024, achieving the highest growth rate since 2011, with a 13.76 percent increase since the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan.

"We have attached great importance to technological innovation in the fishery industry, leading the nation in deep-sea aquaculture species and farming equipment," said Chen, during a press conference on the development of Guangdong's fishery industry over the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) on Tuesday.

The province has become the first in China to achieve breakthroughs in the artificial breeding of species such as the large yellow croaker, red drum and mackerel. A total of 18 new marine species have been nationally certified, the highest number in the country.

Guangdong has also developed a complete modern marine industrial chain encompassing seed breeding, equipment manufacturing, feed and health protection, facility aquaculture, cold chain logistics, advanced processing and brand sales, according to Chen.