China will increase the proportion of high-quality cash products in the marine aquatics to increase farmers' earnings, upgrade stock species and curb aquatic diseases, according to the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences.
High-quality aquatic products currently account for less than 10 percent of the country's total marine breeding industry, which amounted to 9.74 million tons last year, said Situ Jiantong, a research fellow with the academy.
In his report to the International Symposium on the Strategies of Integrated Marine Resources Exploitation in the South China Sea which was held in Zhanjiang last week, Situ attributed the industry's irrational product mix to poor management and the deteriorating environment in fish farms.
Situ said that regulatory departments are responsible for the rational plotting of different aquatic products in farms and for helping farmers to efficiently use the marine ecological system.
China's breeding aquatic output rose to 41.2 million tons in 1999, accounting for a third of the world's total. At the symposium, experts agreed that China has the potential to increase the amount by 10 million tons through scientific advancement in the industry.
(Xinhua 12/04/2000)
