Exploring stakeholder engagement in mariculture development: Challenges and prospects for China

Abstract

China has a long history of mariculture and is host to abundant marine bioresources. The annual output of China's mariculture industry has ranked first worldwide. However, the unsustainable development of mariculture in China has caused many problems in terms of marine environmental protection, utilization of marine resources and coordinated development of marine industries. This paper starts by describing the current situation of China's mariculture and the potential for promoting mariculture and then proposes that sustainable development of mariculture requires all relevant stakeholders' engagement involving government, aquaculture farmers, mariculture enterprises and related associations. This paper reviews the main challenges in stakeholder engagement in mariculture, including the pressure of industrial transformation, backward technology, risks of extending the industrial chain, and the lack of discursive power. Recommendations are proposed for a division of roles among the stakeholders in mariculture management for promoting the sustainable development of mariculture in China.