Marine economy propels Shandong development

480 million yuan to develop marine ranching

Shandong province is making efforts to develop mariculture. [Photo/dzwww.com]

The story of cod skin demonstrates that the traditional marine industry in Shandong has started to become involved in high-end bio-medicine. The inshore cultivation of salmon shows that the province is developing marine ranching to further carry out its strategy for marine development. 

To achieve the sustainable development of the fishery industry, the province is striving to develop sea farming and ranching, according to Wang Shouxin, head of the Shandong Ocean and Fisheries Department. The construction of 24 major projects, including marine granaries and marine ranching has made great progress. The total output value of the marine industry in Shandong province was 1.4 trillion yuan in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 8 percent, accounting for 19.9 percent of provincial GDP. 

In 2018, the central and provincial governments plan to invest 2.8 billion yuan to develop marine and fishery industries. About 1.8 billion yuan will be used to build a marine granary, 480 million yuan to construct marine ranching and off-shore cages, and 160 million yuan to develop modern fishery industrial parks, leisure fishery and the fishery seed industry. The total value of the Shandong marine industry is expected to exceed two trillion yuan by 2020, accounting for 20.2 percent of provincial GDP. 

With a coastline of 3,024 kilometers, Shandong is able to produce 9.5 million tons of aquatic products annually, of which 6.56 million tons are produced by aquiculture. The products are more than food that can also be used in medicine and chemical industries. The province plans to expand the industry of mariculture. “We can develop a high-end manufacturing industry and marine logistics in order to transport the aquatic products,” said Mai Kangsen.

One thing is certain -- there will be more stories about the marine economy along Shandong’s coastline.