The “Intelligent Aquaculture Equipment and Propagation Pattern in Open Seas and Off-shore Islands and Reefs”, a China national key R&D program, was recently rated as “excellent”, the highest grade, by China Rural Technology Development Center. Initiated by Qingdao-based Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, the program will be co-launched by ten organizations including Dalian University of Technology and South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, CAFS.

When the project was initiated for approval, Qingdao has finished the delivery of “Ocean Farm 1”, the world’s first semi-submersible aquaculture offshore farm, built “Deep Blue No. 1”, China’s first deep-sea fish farm and the world’s largest submersible deep-sea aquaculture equipment, and proved the feasibility of deep-sea fish farms and deeper offshore aquaculture. On the back of the above achievements, the cultivation equipment project team has continued to pursue innovation, and launched 14 large-sized installations including the “Jinghai No. 001”, Asia’s largest-capacity smart cage, and “Blue Diamond No. 1”, China’s first large-sized deep-sea tubular pipe aquaculture fencing. These installations, after developed and put into operation, have set a good example in advancing the effective utilization of China’s open seas and deep-sea islands and reefs, and anchored the expansion of sea farming and the construction of a deeper offshore production base for high-grade protein.  (Li Xunxiang)

The “Jinghai No. 001” sea farming cage.