The Chinese government has rolled out new emissions regulations that target tilapia-farming operations in the country, particularly affecting fish farmers and seafood exporters on the island province of Hainan who are still recovering from a typhoon that devastated aquaculture operations last September.
Under the new regulations, tilapia farms must obtain export certifications in order for processors or exporters to use their products.
“The certification process requires farms to submit detailed information, including site images, processing plant contracts, and information on water treatment facilities,” and farms are subject to punishment from environmental inspectors “if false declarations are found,” according to exporting firm Amyco Seafoods.
Josephine Wang, the head of export sales at seafood-processing firm Hainan Golden Spring Foods, told SeafoodSource that very few of Hainan’s aquaculture operations meet these regulations as of now.
“The Hainan government canceled all farm registrations; farms will need to undergo registration again, but to get the license, the farms will now need to establish a standard wastewater treatment system,” she said. “So far, only about 15 percent of farms have fulfilled this condition, and this system costs a lot.”
Wang warned that the legwork needed to meet the new regulations is likely to lead to dips in supply, especially as operations across the island are still repairing the extensive damage left behind from 2024’s Typhoon Yagi, which itself resulted in drops in supply.
“Hatchery production was poor in November due to Yagi and only resumed partly in December of last year; thus, this will delay the new season of 2025 to around June,” she said. “It will also take up to six months to set up the system [needed to meet the new regulations], so there is a lot of uncertainty on fish supply this year.”
Because only 15 percent of operations currently have the systems in place to meet the regulations, Wang said fish from that small percentage of farms is likely to undergo price hikes that will affect exporters and processors like Hainan Golden Spring.
Nevertheless, Wang said she believes most Hainan operations will ultimately install new wastewater systems.
“I think most of the farmers will set up the system in the end because this is the only way for them to maintain business,” she said.
