Zhanjiang at full sail to marine success

Sector sees strong growth from efforts to improve aquatic products and ranches

Zhanjiang in South China's Guangdong province is making efforts to develop itself into a demonstration city for modern marine ranching and aims to build an aquaculture industry cluster worth 100 billion yuan ($13.82 billion) by 2028.

The coastal city is known for abundant aquatic products including golden pomfrets, prawns and groupers.

In 2022, its aquatic products amounted to 1.26 million metric tons, up 3.66 percent year-on-year.

The combined output value reached 27.46 billion yuan, ranking first among cities in Guangdong province.

In terms of cage farming, the city currently has 3,500 gravity-type deep-water fish cages. Its annual production accounts for about 60 percent of the national total.

Zhanjiang is also one of the country's major seafood exporters. From January to March, the city saw a year-on-year increase of 2.3 percent in exports of aquatic products.

During a seminar on modern marine ranching held in May, Liu Hongbing, Party secretary of Zhanjiang, emphasized that municipal authorities need to formulate a development plan with high standards and expand the industry.

Efforts should be made in scientific research to improve aquaculture facilities and advance the application of digital technologies, Liu said.

He added that Zhanjiang will cultivate more marine science talents and create a high-quality talent pool to boost modern marine ranching.

During the marine ranching-themed events month, the coastal city held an array of activities, showcasing its remarkable achievements in developing modern marine ranching.

At a cold chain logistics summit held on June 18, guests including officials, corporate representatives and experts discussed how to promote the high-quality development of Zhanjiang's cold chain logistics.

They also shared their insights into the opportunities and challenges brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership which came into force in 2022.

On June 20, Guangdong's largest offshore intelligent aquaculture platform Havwii 2 was launched in Leizhou, a city under the administration of Zhanjiang.

It is a truss eco-friendly aquaculture platform which can support a fish farm of 30,000 cubic meters and is capable of good performance in withstanding strong winds and waves.

From June 18 to 20, Zhanjiang hosted the 2023 China International Aquaculture Products Expo, attracting more than 300 aquaculture enterprises from about 10 countries and regions around the world.

The Longwang Bay park of Zhanjiang Bay Laboratory in the city's Haidong New Area began operations on June 29. It features a batch of research centers for marine life, big science facilities, ocean labs and other marine innovation platforms.

Meanwhile, the lab's fishery big data center was put into use, which is designed to implement the digital management of deep-sea aquaculture industries.

By 2028, Zhanjiang aims to make 6,000 gravity-type fish cages and build more than 20 truss aquaculture platforms and workboats, according to local officials.

In addition, the city will set up an international aquatic product trading center and construct three aquaculture bases for breeding, processing and equipment and feed production, local officials said.

Seven modern marine ranching zones will be established, involving multiple locations in the city such as the Jizhao Bay, Beibu Bay and Liusha Bay.

Zhanjiang launches monthlong events on modern marine ranching on June 6. LANG SHUCHEN/FOR CHINA DAILY

The China International Aquaculture Products Expo, held from June 18 to 20 in Zhanjiang, draws visitors and exhibitors. LIU JICHENG/FOR CHINA DAILY