The total marine aquaculture area is over 20,000,000 Mu in the whole country. The most important economical aquaculture species are shrimp, seaweed, shellfish and marine fishes.

• Shrimp culture

Shrimp is one of most favored marine products in the world. Among them P. orientails (Chinensis) origined in Huang & Bohai sea is famous for its big body, good and fresh taste, and rich nutrition. The study of artificially shrimp culture began in 1958 in China. In 1959 the shrimp was hatched artificially with success. In 1979 the shrimp culture was started commercial production. In the early 60’s shrimp culture was only in a few provinces such as Shandong, Hebei province and the production is not high. In 70’s the shrimp culture spread in the south of China. Now the number of counties that culturing shrimp is over 200 cities in coastal provinces (cities) and almost thousands of persons take in the industry. And there are some modern shrimp aquaculture bases in which hatchery, seed production, grow-out, feed manufacture, processing, and marketing can all be integrated into one unit. In some places shrimp culture has great economic significance.

• Seaweed aquaculture

     In China the species of seeweed with large-scale farming seaweed are kelp, porphyra, laminaria。

1. Kelp culture

Kelp is a kind of sub-frigid zone species. In China the culture of kelp was started in 50’s. In 1958 the kelp was introduced in the south of China, from then kelp culture achieved a remarkable boost in production. Now the kelp was cultured in the coastal area which from Liaoning to Fujian province. The total production of kelp culture is about half of the total marine aquaculture.

   2.Porphyra culture

In 1950-1958 it was made the test that attaching breed naturally in Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong province. The semi-artificial breeding was begun in 1959. In 1964 the culture of P. haitanensis was started in Fujian, then in the south of coastal province. The test of farming P. yezoensis was begun in 1968. In 1970 the culture of P. yezoensis spread in the north area of Yangzi River.

• Shellfish culture

The history of shellfish culture is very long in China. The most economical species is oyster, mussel, clam and pearl oyster. Oyster was mainly cultivated in the Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang. Mussel was mainly cultivated in Liaoning, Shandong, Hebei and some south provinces. Pearl oyster in Guangdong and Guangxi province.

• Marine fishes culture

       China has a long history in culturing marine fishes. But until 1958 the production level is not high. Now there are about 20 economical marine species commercial cultured in China.

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Copyright © 1998  Shanghai Fisheries University                    Last modified: Jan.14,1999