Looking at the "Ningde Big Yellow Croaker" to see the "good recipe" for marine fishery modernization in the city of mountains and seas

China News Service, Ningde, November 13 (Wu Yunjie) "There are no three good harbors in the world, and the deep water bay is as wide as the sky lake." Sanduao, located in Jiaocheng District, Ningde City, Fujian Province, was praised by the famous poet Guo Moruo as "the sky lake on the sea". Guanjing Yang, China's only in-bay spawning ground for large yellow croaker, is also located here.

When you sail into the Ningde Yetong Aquaculture Co., Ltd.'s breeding base in Sanduao by boat, you will see ring-shaped deep-water cages on the sea, which are "runways" with a circumference of about 560 meters. In the countercurrent formed by the tide, large yellow croakers sprint in groups; after nightfall, light lures are used to attract small fish and shrimps, and the fish chase and compete for food.

"The large yellow croaker 'runs a marathon' during the day and eats live bait at night, so the quality is closer to that of the wild." said Zhang Zuchun, head of the breeding base of Ningde Yetong Aquatic Products Co., Ltd.

The annular deep-water cage on Sanduao, Jiaocheng District, Ningde City. (Drone photo) Photo by Ye Jinqiu

The core of "Wild Taming" is to use technical means to restore the growth environment of wild large yellow croaker. According to reports, unlike traditional still water farming, the company uses a "sea circular runway" and sonar-driven equipment to allow each large yellow croaker to undergo a "marathon" long-distance running exercise to simulate the natural movement state of wild yellow croaker; it also uses deep-water cages, light bait and other facilities to simulate wild ocean currents and predatory environments to help the large yellow croaker regain the wildness in its genes.

Ningde City is the "Capital of Large Yellow Croaker in China" and the core base for supply, breeding, production, processing, sales and brand operation of large yellow croaker in China. In recent years, the city has continued to implement the "National Fish Plan" and has solidly promoted the entire chain improvement of the large yellow croaker industry from seedlings and breeding to processing, marketing, and branding through measures such as promoting the revitalization of the seed industry, developing ecological breeding, expanding processing and circulation, and increasing publicity and promotion.

With unique resource endowments and an increasingly solid industrial foundation, how can we further promote the transformation of the large yellow croaker industry from "raising fish" to "raising good fish"?

The Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Industry Branch Headquarters and the Municipal Large Yellow Croaker Industry Association took the lead in formulating the country's first "Technical Specifications for Grade Evaluation of High-Quality Large Yellow Croaker" to end the disorderly situation of "valuing large yellow croaker by eye"; Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Industry College was inaugurated. So far, it has held 12 training courses and 82 activities of various types, covering more than 4,300 people, providing Ningde Large Yellow Croaker The high-quality development of the industry provides strong talent support and sustainable intellectual support; with the theme of "One fish makes a feast, one tastes allure", the Catering and Cooking Committee of the Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Industry Association held 9 tasting sessions, innovated 149 large yellow croaker dishes, compiled the "Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Food Directory" and "Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Food Map" to promote large yellow croaker food culture...

New plastic fishing raft breeding demonstration site in Baiji Bay, Sanduao, Jiaocheng District, Ningde City. (File photo) Photo by Li Minxiong

From standard establishment to talent foundation building, from cultural empowerment to brand exit, a series of pragmatic measures are accelerating their transformation into performance improvements in the quality and efficiency of Ningde's large yellow croaker industry. Data show that in 2025, Ningde City's large yellow croaker output will be 222,300 tons, accounting for about 80% of the country's total. The output value of the entire industry chain will exceed 20 billion yuan, driving more than 300,000 fishermen to gain employment and increase their income.

The road to industrial modernization of a large yellow croaker is a microcosm of Ningde City's anchoring of the development path of modern marine fisheries and its coordinated efforts in industrial upgrading, economic development, maritime safety, ecological protection and other aspects to cultivate and strengthen the marine economy.

The sea is Ningde City’s biggest advantage and its greatest potential for development. The sea area is 44,500 square kilometers and the mainland coastline is 1,046 kilometers. The rich marine resources have given birth to more than a thousand kinds of seafood such as large yellow croaker, sea cucumber, seabass, and seaweed. In recent years, based on its advantages in marine resources, the city has vigorously developed modern marine fisheries and leveraged characteristic fisheries to promote high-quality development of the marine economy.

In terms of strengthening the "seed industry + breeding + processing" industrial chain, Ningde City has initially formed an original improved seed system. There are 21 original improved seed farms at or above the municipal level in the city. The number of deep-water wind and wave resistant cages ranks among the top in the country. The output value of aquatic product processing has exceeded 20 billion yuan. In terms of developing the "e-commerce + carbon sink + cultural tourism" diversified business format, Ningde City has taken the lead in achieving a "zero breakthrough" in marine aquaculture carbon sink trading, creating Sandu Island, Qixing A number of high-quality fishing and tourism integration projects such as Fishing Boat, and a number of local IPs such as "Father and Son" and "Brothers Fishing" have been cultivated; in terms of optimizing the "technology + wisdom + safety" guarantee system, Ningde City has built a smart ocean supervision platform, and more than 2,800 registered fishing boats in the city have all been included in organized management. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, 1,076 general hidden dangers and 277 major hidden dangers in fishery production safety have been investigated and rectified.

The Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Industry Association regularly organizes the "One Fish for a Banquet, One Taste of Allure" Ningde Large Yellow Croaker Dishes Tasting Event. The picture shows the innovative large yellow croaker dish "Wild Taming Large Yellow Croaker in Soup". Photo by Wu Yunjie

Data shows that since the "14th Five-Year Plan", the total output of aquatic products in Ningde City has increased from 1.0652 million tons in 2021 to 1.2171 million tons in 2025, with an average annual growth of 3.4%; the fishery output value has increased from 32.327 billion yuan in 2021 to 36.245 billion yuan in 2025, with an average annual growth of 2.9%.

Yuan Zhengsui, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Ningde Municipal Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, said that he will continue to focus on the construction of "Marine Ningde" and "Marine Granary" to promote the formation of a new development pattern in which the inside and outside the bay are linked, seawater and freshwater are complementary, and coastal and mountainous areas develop simultaneously. We will strengthen land and sea coordination and marine ecological governance, and strive to create a national high-quality fishery development model and a coastal blue economic belt. (over)