More than 70 percent of the catch hauled in by China’s distant-water fishing fleet was shipped back to China for processing in 2022, according to a report from research consultancy Bee Data.
Some 2,551 Chinese distant-water vessels caught 2.32 million metric tons (MT) of seafood in 2022, up from 2.03 million MT in 2014, though the country’s distant-water catch accounted for only 3.3 percent of China’s overall seafood production; the Bee Data insight also doesn’t indicate if catches from Chinese-operated fishing firms registered in other countries were included in the totals. Squid, at 33 percent, and tuna, at 14.8 percent, made up the bulk of the catch by volume, according to Bee Data.
The increasing totals of seafood caught abroad by Chinese vessels and brought home to China belies governmental and industry promises of promoting local economic development. China has signed numerous fishery access deals with developing countries containing pledges to invest in seafood-processing capacity locally, creating jobs and contributing to gross domestic product growth.
In contrast, China has increasingly incentivized its distant-water fleet to bring its catch back to Chinese ports, several of which offer subsidies, including Shenzhen, which is seeking to build itself into a hub of regional tuna trading.
The state-owned firm China Agriculture Development Co. (CADC) accounts for nearly 10 percent of the Chinese fleet's overall distant-water catch, according to Bee Data. CADC controls several Chinese fishing companies, including CNFC Overseas Fishery.
Four CADC subsidiaries established in Shenzhen in 2023 – the Shenzhen International Tuna Trading Co., the China Fishery Global Marine Food Co., Shenlan Modern Food Co., and Shenzhen Hemei Fishery Co. – have the mission of increasing the volume of seafood shipped from abroad to Shenzhen, according to CADC Special Projects Head Dong Enhe, speaking at the Fuzhou Fisheries Fair in April 2024.
Chinese firms have also sought to feed the rapidly growing domestic market for premium seafood. At the fair, Fuzhou Hong Dong Pelagic Fishery showcased a 150-kilogram giant grouper caught by its vessels operating in Indonesian waters. The firm claims to have 170 vessels operating in its Indonesian operations, catching for export clients as well as domestic Chinese buyers.
