Aquaculture Industry in China: Current State, Challenges, and Outlook

Abstract

Aquaculture in China accounts for nearly 70% of world aquaculture production. Aquaculture, including a wide variety of freshwater and marine fishes, shellfish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants, has become one of the most vital primary industries and a center of economic activity within the local and global economies. Along with the development of aquaculture, concerns come about such problems in the industry such as aquatic pollution, disease, genetic degradation of aquaculture species, decline of comparative profitability, lack of knowledge on market risks, and financial crises. Thus, there is a need to acquire further knowledge on this industry and provide sound suggestions for its sustainable development. This review aims to identify the current state of and challenges facing the aquaculture industry in China and to provide some suggestions for its sustainable development.

Keywords:

• China
• aquaculture
• current state
• challenges
• outlook
• sustainable development

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program; grant 2007AA091806), the Major Programs for the Science & Technology of Zhejiang Province, China (grant 2009C03017-5) and the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. Y3090246).