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Fishing industry in China

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Fishermen on the Fushui River, China

China accounts for about one-third of the total fish production of the world. According to the FAO statistics, the total fish production in 2005 was 49.5 million tons. Of this total, 65.5% was from aquaculture, an increasing sector, and 34.5% from wild fish caught in rivers, lakes, and the sea.

Aquaculture, the farming of fish in ponds and lakes, accounts for more than half of China's output. China's 2005 reported harvest was 32.4 million tons, more than 10 times that of the second-ranked nation, India, which produced 2.8 million tons. The principal aquaculture-producing regions are close to urban markets in middle and lower Yangtze valley and the Zhu Jiang delta.

China's 2005 reported catch of wild fish was 17.1 million tons, far ahead of the second-ranked nation, the United States, with 4.9 million tons.

Marine fishing grounds

Coastal fisheries

China has a coastline of 14,500 km
China's continental shelf covers 431,000 km²

China has a coastline of 14,500 kilometres, and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 877,019 square kilometres. The fishing grounds range from sub-tropical to temperate zones and include 431,000 square kilometres of continental shelves (within 200 meters deep).

Areas of marine fishing grounds (x1000 km²)
Region Area Continental shelf Fishing ground
Bohai Sea 24 24 24
Yellow Sea 127 127 103
East China Sea 252 151 160
South China Sea 630 129 531
Total 1033 431 818

There are ongoing disputes with several neighbouring nations over the exact extent of the EEZ in the South China Sea.

The China seas contain about 3000 marine species, of which more than 150 species are fished commercially. Some major marine fishing species in recent times are hairtail, chub mackerel, black scraper (oval filefish or Navodon modestus), anchovy and some species from shrimps, crabs and smaller fishes.

Distant water fisheries

The world's EEZs are shown as a white extension of the land. International waters (high seas) are highlighted in blue.

Chinese distant water fishing activities started in 1985. China gains access to new fishing grounds through agreements with foreign countries. By 1996, these fisheries had extended to more than 60 nations or regions around the world. In that year, they employed 21,200 fishermen, 1381 fishing vessels, and caught 926,500 tons.

The China National Fishery Corporation (CNFC) is the major operator in the distant water fisheries. In 1985 it sent the first Chinese fishing fleet to West African waters. In 1986, working with other Chinese partners, CNFC started trawling operations in the North Pacific. In 1988 tuna longlining was initiated in the South Pacific, and in 1989, squid longlining in the Japan Sea and the North Pacific.

Inland fishing grounds

Inland China contains 176,000 square km of inland waters (1.8% of the inland area). Eighty thousand reservoirs contribute another 20,000 sq km.

align="center"|Major lakes in China
Lake Location Area (km2) Fisheries
Qinghaihu Lake Qinghai 4,583
Qinghaihu Lake Qinghai 4,583
Boyanghu Lake Jiangxi 3,583
Luobubo Lake Xinjiang 3,006
Dongtinghu Lake Hunan 2,820
Taihu Lake Jiangsu 2,420
Hulunhu Lake Neimenggu 2,315
Hongzehu Lake Jiangsu 1,586
align="center"|Major rivers in China
River Length (km) Area (km2) Fisheries
Yangtze River 5,800 1,808,500
Yellow River 5,464 752,443
Heilongjiang River 2,965 890,000
Talimu River 2,179 198,000
Zhujiang River 2,129 425,700
Songhuajiang River 1,840 545,600
Yaluzangbujiang River 1,787 241,590
Lancangjiang River 1,612 153,960
Nujiang River 1,540 120,000
Hanjiang River 1,532 174,350
Liaohe River 1,430 192,000
Nenjiang River 1,370 243,900
Yalongjiang River 1,187 144,280
Yujiang River 1,162
Jialinjiang River 1,119 159,810
Haihe River 1,090 265,000
Wujiang River 1,018 88,220
Huaihe River 1,000 187,000

Aquaculture

History

Cormorant fishing

A Chinese fisherman with his cormorant on Erhai Lake near Dali, Yunnan

Historically, cormorant fishing has been a significant fishing technique in China. To control the birds, the fishermen tie a snare near the base of the bird's throat. This prevents the birds from swallowing larger fish, which are held in their throat. When a cormorant has caught a fish, the fisherman brings the bird back to the boat and has the bird spit the fish out. Chinese fishermen often employ great cormorants. Though cormorant fishing used to be a successful fishing industry, its primary use today is to serve the tourism industry.In Guilin, China, cormorant birds are famous for fishing on the shallow Lijiang River.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ FAO 2005 statistics
  2. CIA factbook: [China
  3. Sea Around Us Project: China's EEZ
  4. ^ NOAA Central Library (1996) Fishing Industry in China
  5. Cormorant Fishing "UKAI". May 2001 version. Retrieved 2008-JAN-30.

References


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