Provincial Differences and Dynamic Changes in Mariculture Efficiency in China: Based on Super-SBM Model and Global Malmquist Index.

Xuan Yu,Manhong Shen,Qiuguang Hu

doi:10.3390/biology9010018

Abstract

The continued growth in mariculture efficiency in China is vital in ensuring that the country will continue to be the primary source of its own food in the 21st century. A large gap exists between the input and output of mariculture in China’s coastal provinces. Hence, methods to improve mariculture efficiency can be developed by analyzing provincial differences and dynamic changes in mariculture efficiency. These methods are important in solving China’s food security problems. This study uses the super-slacks-based measure model and global Malmquist index to measure the mariculture efficiency scores and their changes in China’s nine coastal provinces from 2004 to 2016. Results suggest that the mariculture efficiencies in Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, Shandong, and Guangdong are higher than those in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Liaoning, and Hebei. The mariculture efficiency in China increased by 6.45% from 2004 to 2016, and technological progress was the main driving force for this. The authors combine the results with the mariculture characteristics in each province and present the following findings: (1) mariculture scale affects mariculture efficiency; (2) efficient mariculture relies on a good marine ecosystem; (3) policy adjustments significantly affect the development of mariculture; (4) the key to improving mariculture efficiency is enhancing mariculture technology.

Highlights

China is the most populous country in the world; its population is 1.39 billion and will reach1.44 billion in 2030, according to United Nations Population Division forecasts [1,2]
The authors combine the results with the mariculture characteristics in each province and present the following findings: (1) mariculture scale affects mariculture efficiency; (2) efficient mariculture relies on a good marine ecosystem; (3) policy adjustments significantly affect the development of mariculture; (4) the key to improving mariculture efficiency is enhancing mariculture technology
We present the key points that China should focus on to improve the mariculture efficiency in the future and provide support to solve food security problems

Summary

Introduction

1.44 billion in 2030, according to United Nations Population Division forecasts [1,2]. The national diet structure has been upgraded with income growth, and meat consumption continues to increase. From 2000 to 2016, global aquaculture grew at an average annual rate of 5.8%, which was higher than those of other major production sectors. Between 1961 and 2016, the average annual growth rate of the global consumption of fish food (3.2%) exceeded the population growth rate (1.6%), which was higher than the growth rate of all terrestrial animal meat consumption (2.8%). The importance of fish in food supply is increasingly pronounced in developing countries and countries experiencing food shortages [10,11]

Methods

Results

Conclusion