China’s seafood output was flat in 2019, with total seafood production reaching 64.5 million tons, according to Chinese Vice Minister for Agriculture Yu Kangzhen, who presented the preliminary data this week at a conference organized by his ministry.
China’s seafood sector has been coping with the impact of increased enforcement of environmental regulations as well as the rising costs of production
“Production was largely the same as last year,” Yu said.
The total catch from wild-catch fisheries was down five percent on last year’s total, at 10 million metric tons (MT). Cultivated (fresh-water and sea-water) production totaled 55 million tons in 2019, up one percent year-over-year.
Growth in aquaculture output has slowed in volume terms in the last five years. It was at its peak in 2013, when production of the sector produced 61.72 million MT of seafood.
In his talk, Yu signaled further emphasis on “green development” of aquaculture in 2020 as well as increased encouragement of innovation in the seafood sector.
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