Zhuhai will increase fiscal subsidies, accelerating platform construction, and strengthen scientific and technological support, it was announced at the municipal Modern Marine Ranch Construction Promotion Conference which took place on March 16.

Zhuhai plans to arrange about 1 billion yuan ($145.51 million) over the next three years to support the development of the modern marine fishery industry. For enterprises that have earned the international certification and ISO quality system certification of aquatic products, the city will provide a subsidy of no more than 50 percent of the cost incurred by the certification fees.

Enterprises that obtain a green food certification will get a maximum reward of 20,000 yuan ($2,910) per item, with the total amount capped at 500,000 yuan ($72,745). Enterprises that obtain an organic product certification will be rewarded no more than 50,000 yuan ($7,274) per item, with the total amount to not exceed 1 million yuan ($145,487). Companies that have an agricultural product granted a geographical indication will be eligible for a reward of up to 1 million yuan per item.

"Dehai One" aquaculture net cages in Zhuhai. [Photo courtesy Guanhai App]

Twelve major projects will also be advanced in Zhuhai to achieve 12 phased growth targets for the marine economy, according to the officials. They include developing marine finance, strengthening cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao, and promoting island tourism.

By the end of this year, the city will achieve substantial growth in the following six areas: fiscal investment, State-owned assets' investment, the number of island tourists, marine finance, the number of sea-related scientific researchers, and modern marine industrial projects. 

Over the next three years, huge growth shall be achieved in the total output value of the marine fishery industry, the comprehensive income generated by marine tourism, sea-related high-tech enterprises, the output value of the marine equipment industry, the number of marine industrial clusters with a scale of over 10 billion yuan ($1.46 billion), and the gross value of marine products.

In addition, Zhuhai will have 400 anti-wave water cages and 10 pieces of large deep-sea aquaculture equipment by 2025. The total scale of aquaculture water body will be no less than 1.3 million cubic meters , and the output value of marine ranches will reach 2 billion yuan ($291.07 million).

Thirty-eight measures were also launched to boost the high-quality development of the marine economy at the Wanshan Marine Development Experimental Zone. By 2027, the scale of the zone's modern marine industry is expected to reach 45 billion yuan ($6.55 billion).