A Brief Answer: Why is China's Aquaculture Industry so Successful?

Abstract

As wild capture fisheries continue to be exhausted worldwide, aquaculture is being looked as the sustainable solution to meet the global fisheries demand. China is one of the most successful countries in the world when it comes to aquaculture. They produce more fish than they catch, simultaneously providing for their own country and the rest of the world. By contrast, the United States imports over 90% of its fisheries; its aquaculture industry meeting only 5% of the country’s total demand of fish. While the United States prides itself on being a world leader in several fronts, aquaculture is certainly not one of them. This makes anyone question: why is China’s aquaculture so successful? This manuscript works to answer this question briefly by identifying and exploring three notable characteristics of China’s aquaculture industry: (1) history; (2) size and diversity; and (3) government support and research. It goes on to suggest how the U.S. can improve it aquaculture industry based on the Chinese success story.