Marine Carbon Sinks Research Articles

Toward “climate-driven”: innovation on legislation of modern marine fisheries law under era of blue carbon

Abstract Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the blue carbon project, which uses marine activities and organisms to take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in ocean. Important question in contemporary and future fisheries management is how to coordinate the relationship among the offshore fishery, the fisheries resource conservation and blue carbon projects. Through comparative studies and normative analysis, this study explores the legislative aims of some representative international and national fisheries legislation and their creative reforms in recent years. The legislative purpose of fisheries laws has traditionally been to keep fishery resources above the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) standard, while marine carbon sink resource protection is marginally inadequate. Given that the blue carbon project is inseparable from future fisheries industry development, the protection of marine carbon sink resources needs to be incorporated into the legislative aim of fisheries law in the future.

Marine carbon sink dominated by biological pump after temperature overshoot

In the event of insufficient mitigation efforts, net-negative CO2 emissions may be required to return climate warming to acceptable limits as defined by the Paris Agreement. The ocean acts as an important carbon sink under increasing atmospheric CO2 levels when the physico-chemical uptake of carbon dominates. However, the processes that govern the marine carbon sink under net-negative CO2 emission regimes are unclear. Here we assessed changes in marine CO2 uptake and storage mechanisms under a range of idealized temperature-overshoot scenarios using an Earth system model of intermediate complexity over centennial timescales. We show that while the fate of CO2 from physico-chemical uptake is very sensitive to future atmospheric boundary conditions and CO2 is partly lost from the ocean at times of net-negative CO2 emissions, storage associated with the biological carbon pump continues to increase and may even dominate marine excess CO2 storage on multi-centennial timescales. Our findings imply that excess carbon that is attributable to the biological carbon pump needs to be considered carefully when quantifying and projecting changes in the marine carbon sink.

Arctic Alaska deepwater organic carbon burial and environmental changes during the late Albian–early Campanian (103–82 Ma)

The middle Cretaceous greenhouse period experienced profound environmental change including episodes of enhanced global burial of organic carbon marked by carbon isotopic excursions (CIEs). However, the role and response of polar regions like the newly formed, partially enclosed Arctic Ocean Basin during middle Cretaceous carbon burial remains enigmatic. We present the first Arctic deepwater CIE record that characterizes conditions offshore of the Alaska margin north of 75°N paleolatitude. Organic carbon isotopes (δ13Corg) and 103–82 Ma ash zircon U-Pb dates from the distal Hue Shale record multiple Albian–Campanian CIEs during slow ∼3–15 m/Myr sediment accumulation rates. Average total organic carbon (TOC) increased substantially during large 2–3 ‰ CIEs of the ∼101 Ma Albian-Cenomanian boundary event (from 7 to 18 % TOC) and ∼94 Ma Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event (5 to 10 % TOC). Turonian TOC remained elevated (8–13 %) during high global sea levels and temperatures of the Cretaceous Thermal Maximum, followed by an increase from 7 to 11 % TOC during the ∼90 Ma late Turonian event 1.5 ‰ CIE. Average TOC subsequently decreased in the Coniacian–Campanian, but relative maxima occurred during subtle 0.5–1 ‰ CIEs interpreted as the ∼87 Ma late Coniacian event (increase from 4 to 7 % TOC), ∼85 Ma Horseshoe Bay event (3.5 to 4.5 % TOC), and ∼84 Ma Santonian-Campanian boundary event (3.5 to 5 % TOC). Increases in hydrogen index and productivity proxies (P, Ba, Nd) that accompanied each CIE episode with enhanced TOC suggest a strong link between marine productivity and organic carbon burial at short-term CIE timescales. However, long-term (>5–8 Myr) changes in trace metal redox (Mo, Fe, V) and salinity (B/Ga) proxies suggest shifts in prevailing environmental conditions at timescales longer than the CIEs. Late Albian–middle Turonian marine salinity occurred during euxinic (103–98 Ma) and suboxic (98–90 Ma) conditions with deposition interpreted to have occurred within and beneath an oxygen minimum zone, respectively. In contrast, late Turonian–early Campanian (90–82 Ma) freshening and restricted euxinic basin conditions may signal the start of widespread restriction known to characterize the Paleogene Arctic. Overall, these results highlight that middle Cretaceous Arctic deepwater remained a productive marine carbon sink coupled to the global carbon cycle despite evolving Arctic greenhouse conditions.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of nearshore red tides and their carbon sink potential in the East China Sea, 2012–2021

ABSTRACT The East China Sea frequently experiences red tide outbreaks, significantly impacting marine carbon sink dynamics and ecosystem health. This study examines the temporal and spatial variations of red tide events in the East China Sea 2012 -2021, utilizing MODIS remote sensing imagery with a focus on summer outbreaks. Using the Two-Step algorithm, we assess surface particle organic carbon (POC) levels in red tide-affected areas, providing crucial insights into the carbon sink potential and distribution patterns of phytoplankton. Key findings include: (1) The largest red tide outbreak area occurred in 2015, with substantial fluctuations observed along the Zhejiang coast compared to the more stable Yangtze River estuary, especially in 2018 and 2020. (2) Surface POC concentrations reached their peak at 404.37 g m−3 in the Yangtze River estuary in 2021 and 359.83 g m−3 along the Zhejiang coast in 2017, with the lowest values recorded in 2013 and 2015. (3) Spatially, The distribution of severe algal bloom and higher concentrations of POC are observed along the coastal areas of the Yangtze River estuary and Zhejiang-Fujian, but with different causes. These findings highlight the importance of red tide events in regional carbon dynamics and their role in achieving sustainable development goals.

Time-frequency dependence between fintech and development of carbon neutrality under climate policy uncertainty in China: implications for the ocean carbon sink market

PurposeThis paper explores whether fintech paves the way for the transition to carbon neutrality in the context of China’s climate policy uncertainty (CCPU) and the influence of the ocean carbon sink market.Design/methodology/approachWe apply a novel wavelet analysis technique to investigate the time-frequency dependence between the CCPU index, the CSI (China Securities Index) Fintech Theme Index (CFTI) and the Carbon Neutral Concept Index (CNCI).FindingsThe empirical results show that CCPU and CFTI have a detrimental effect on CNCI in high-frequency bands. Furthermore, in low-frequency domains, the development of CFTI can effectively promote the realization of carbon neutrality.Practical implicationsOur findings show that information from the CCPU and CFTI can be utilized to forecast the movement of CNCI. Therefore, the government should strike a balance between fintech development and environmental regulation and, hence, promote the use of renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions, facilitating the orderly and regular development of the ocean carbon sink market.Originality/valueThe development of high-quality fintech and positive climate policy reforms are crucial for achieving carbon neutrality targets and promoting the growth of the marine carbon sink market.

Provincial marine carbon sink transfer in China: structural drivers and key consumption pathways

The ocean is the largest carbon sink on Earth and an important pathway to China achieving carbon neutrality. From a consumption perspective, studying the capacity of marine carbon sink in each of China’s provinces and its inter-regional transfer is of great significance in harnessing the increase in ocean carbon sink driven by final demand. This article first calculates the production-side carbon sink in coastal provinces. Then, based on the 2007, 2012, 2015, and 2017 Chinese inter-regional input-output tables, each province’s consumption-side marine carbon sink is calculated. The article further examines the influencing factors and key transfer paths for the growth of marine carbon sink through Structural Decomposition Analysis (SDA) and Structural Path Analysis (SPA) methods. The results show that each province’s total consumption-side carbon sink continues to rise, with significant regional disparities, demonstrating a trend of higher carbon sink in coastal provinces than inland provinces. Among the nine coastal provinces, Hainan and Guangdong are in a net input state regarding carbon sink transfer, while the other seven are in a net output state. SDA results indicate that the carbon sink intensity effect and the consumption demand effect are important factors inhibiting and promoting carbon sink growth, respectively, while the influence of the input-output technical effect is weak and variable. SPA analysis reveals that carbon sink outputs are primarily transferred to the food and tobacco sector, the agricultural and forestry products and services sector, and the wood processing and furniture industry. The key transfer paths mostly occur within a province, with a relatively small proportion of interprovincial transfer paths. Based on the research findings, this article suggests steadily increasing the proportion of marine product consumption, actively expanding the value chain of shellfish and seaweed industries, continuously strengthening coordination between land and marine industries, and further promoting the domestic circulation of marine carbon sinks.

High-resolution sampling in the eastern tropical North Atlantic reveals episodic Saharan dust deposition: implications for the marine carbon sink

In this study we present data collected between August 2017 and December 2018 from submarine sediment trap M1 located in the eastern tropical North Atlantic and determine lithogenic and biogenic fluxes, and grain-size distributions of aerosol dust. An unprecedented high sampling resolution of four days in combination with satellite imagery allowed the identification of thirteen major dust events of two types within the 468-day series. Seven dust events were classified as high-flux events identified by a deposition of >=25 mg m-2 d-1. The average dust deposition rate increased by 461.3% during these types of events. The remaining six events were characterized by a high composition of giant particles (>7.3 vol%). Seasonal variations of dust flux were recorded, with highest fluxes observed in spring at an average deposition rate of 14.8 mg m-2 d-1, and lowest fluxes in fall with an average rate of 8.6 mg m-2 d-1. The estimated total dust flux in the tropical North Atlantic was 4040.02 mg m-2 y-1. We suggest that most of the summer dust was likely transported over the sampling site at high altitudes while winter transport occurred closer to the sea surface, resulting in generally higher background fluxes. Grain-size distributions exhibited seasonal variations with increased occurrences of giant particles (>62.5 μm) in fall 2017 and spring, and less occurrences in winter and fall 2018. Grain-size sorting was high in spring and most variable in summer. Precipitation did not affect depositional fluxes or grain-size distributions of the aeolian dust significantly. Organic matter was deposited continuously at the sampling site with a deposition rate ranging from 14.4–862.25 mg m-2 d-1. Organic matter fluxes increased by 199.5% during high-flux dust events but decreased by 13.6% during anomalous grain-size events. Spring experienced the highest number of dust events (n=5). This unprecedented high-resolution dataset of dust deposition in marine sediment-traps enabled the distinction of dust events and their relation to organic matter flux. This suggests the possibility of a dust fertilization or mineral ballasting effect.

Research Progress in Reducing Pollution and Sequestration of Carbon by Carbon Neutral Plants

Under the dual constraints of economic development and ecological carrying capacity, it is necessary to explore more technical means to achieve carbon neutrality and peak in China. Plants are important carriers of terrestrial and marine carbon sink systems, whereas phytoremediation is also a scientific method to remedy environmental pollution. However, the current studies mostly focus on the single aspect of plant carbon sequestration (including both the reduction of pollutant concentrations in environmental media and degradation of pollutants) or plant pollution reduction, without considering the dual benefits of plant pollution reduction and carbon sequestration. In order to explore the carbon neutral effect of plants, we focused on the pollution reduction and carbon sequestration effect of carbon neutral plants and its progress and evaluated the pollution reduction and carbon sequestration potential of carbon neutral plants and other organisms (such as animals and soil microorganisms) and environmental functional materials. The mechanisms underlying the synergistic coupling of carbon neutral plants and animals, microorganisms, and environmental functional materials and ecosystems in reducing pollution and carbon sequestration were also explored. Finally, we proposed constructive prospects for future research on the effects of carbon neutral plants on pollution reduction and carbon sink.

Research on subject behavior choice of marine carbon sink projects under risk conditions

Marine carbon sink projects are important carriers for the development and utilization of marine carbon sink resources. The risk factors existing in the development process of marine carbon sink projects will significantly affect the behavior of the project subject, and then affect whether or not the project development can be conducted smoothly. Based on the evolutionary game method, this paper analyzes the behavior choice of each project subject under the risk condition, and explores the influencing factors that promote the change of its action probability. The results show the following: (1) Government subsidies can promote the development of marine carbon sink projects, but when the subsidies are too large, the government’s willingness decreases, which may lead to significant changes in the decisions of relevant practitioners. (2) The government pays more attention to image improvement, is not sensitive to risks, and always chooses active subsidies. In the case that the risk poses a great threat to the project, the behavior strategies of the relevant practitioners and investors will influence each other, and both sides will determine the behavior strategies that can obtain more returns according to the other side’s behavior decision. (3) The behavior of relevant practitioners and investors has an impact on the strategy of the demander. When the risk increases, the former has a greater impact on the demander’s choice not to buy marine carbon sink. Relevant policy suggestions are put forward: (1) the government should flexibly adjust the subsidy mechanism; (2) the government should enhance the influence and popularity of marine carbon sink projects; and (3) the government should reduce the risks faced by the practitioners.

A Systematic Review and Global Trends on Blue Carbon and Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Study from 2012 to 2023

Halfway through Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, only 15 percent of the goals have been reached. As a carbon storage and climate change mitigation mechanism, blue carbon is closely related to sustainable development goals and plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. In spite of its great potential, blue carbon still faces several challenges in terms of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Herein, this review aims to retrieve all known impacts of blue carbon on sustainable development through research published on the Web of Science from 2012 to 2023 using a sequence of bibliometric analyses. Keywords such as “blue carbon” and “sustain*” (including “sustainability”, “sustainable”, etc.) were used for article extraction. CiteSpace, a science mapping tool, was used to capture and visually present the bibliometric information in the research about blue carbon and sustainable development. Upon reviewing the existing literature, no study has concentrated on bibliometrically analyzing and visualizing studies about blue carbon and sustainable development. This study sets out to fill this gap by examining the key areas of concentration in published works on blue carbon and sustainable development from 2012 to date. Moreover, the integration of blue carbon and sustainable development may help to develop supportive policies for marine carbon sinks. Despite the valuable contribution of this study to the blue carbon and sustainable development body of knowledge, generalizations of the results must be made cautiously due to the use of a single database, which in this case is the Web of Science.

Heading towards carbon neutrality: how do marine carbon sinks serve as important handle for promoting marine ecological civilization construction?

As an efficient long-term carbon sink, marine carbon sinks and the associated carbon sink effects, technology, accounting and trading market construction warrant investigation across various disciplines. However, information on the interrelationships and their development over time with respect to the research conducted in China is limited, affecting the ability to drive research directions and optimize continued advancement in this field. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to understand the current situation of marine carbon sink research in China to promote a deeper level of scientific development based on the research literature related to marine blue carbon sinks in the core databases of the China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) and Web of Science (WOS). We used bibliometric tools in the Citespace software to quantitatively compare and analyse the main characteristics of marine blue carbon sink research including publication volume, time, journals, authors and institutions. We also explored the popular research topics, frontier areas, and theme evolution trends through keyword clustering and emergent and co-occurring knowledge maps. The key recommended research directions for ocean carbon sinks are: (1) to promote the unified carbon sink market research of land and sea integration through multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research; (2) to achieve new breakthroughs in ocean carbon sinks with the support of coastal wetlands and seawater offshore aquaculture environments; (3) to explore the protection provided by ocean carbon sinks with a comprehensive eco-compensation mechanism; (4) to improve the application of marine carbon sinks by taking the theory and technological innovation research related to marine carbon sinks as the guide. Ultimately, our work helps characterise the current situation of marine carbon sink research, promote the research in this field to a deeper level of development and provide reference for subsequent scholars to carry out related research.

Unraveling the photochemical reactivity of dissolved organic matter in the Yangtze river estuary: Integrating incubations with field observations

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) sustains a substantial part of the organic matter transported seaward in large estuaries, where photochemical reactions significantly influence its transformation and fate. Irradiation experiments can provide valuable information on the photochemical reactivity (photo-labile, photo-resistant, and photo-product) of molecules. However, previous research paid less attention to exploring the controls of the initial DOM chemistry to irradiation experiments and examining the applicability of their further integration with field research. Here, we conducted irradiation experiments for samples from the freshwater and seawater endmember of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE), which receives organic matter transport from the largest river in China, the Yangtze River. Molecules that occurred before and after irradiation experiments were characterized by the Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Results show that both post-irradiation samples have the lower aromaticity degree and reduced oxidation state, while the freshwater endmember sample exhibits more dramatic changes, indicating the controls of parent molecules to the effect of irradiation experiments. Integrating with the “molecular matching” approach, we compared the molecules occurring in field samples with the classified molecules (photo-resistant, photo-labile, and photo-product) acquired from performed irradiation experiments and correlated the relative intensity of photochemical reactivity types with salinity. When applying results from different experiments to conduct “molecular matching”, the photo-resistant and photo-labile relative intensity possess consistently positive and negative trends with increasing salinity, respectively. This suggests their reliability for molecular matching applications, while the inconsistent trends for the photo-product relative intensity with salinity suggest its uncertainty in assessing the photo-induced effects. Moreover, the molecular composition within the photochemical reactivity types in field samples also evolved along the salinity gradient and showed similar trends with the DOM changes after experimental irradiation. Despite various factors influencing estimations, it is revealed that a fraction of aromatic molecules and majority of carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules considered with biologically persistent nature in the YRE freshwater zone are simultaneously not susceptible to photochemical transformation to potentially constitute a long-term marine carbon sink. This study emphasizes the importance and limitations of the combination of field research and laboratory-controlled experiments to provide a better understanding of the crucial role of photochemical reactions in affecting carbon cycling in large estuaries.

Research on the game of fishermen's cooperative behavior in developing marine carbon sink fisheries from a complex network perspective

The development of marine carbon sink fisheries is both an important support to achieve the goal of net zero emissions as well as a hot topic concerning the livelihood of fishermen. Although it has been shown that there is great potential for carbon sinks in terms of environmental benefits, the lack of economic benefits in the short term is a hindrance that prevents marine carbon sink fisheries from being accepted by practitioners, especially fishermen groups. There is need to stimulate fishermen's enthusiasm for cooperative development of marine carbon sink fisheries and to promote marine carbon sink fisheries in order to achieve high efficiency and effectiveness. This paper adopts a complex network evolutionary game, based on the assumptions of WS small-world model on social network relationships, focuses on fishermen groups, and explores the dynamic evolutionary law of cooperative behavior diffusion in development of marine carbon sink fisheries. The results of the study show that (1) the government can accelerate the diffusion of cooperative behavior in the pre-development stage of marine carbon sink fisheries through subsidies, supplemented by certain punishments to curb the betrayal behavior, with the strength of the rewards and punishments dynamically adjusted according to the changes in the risks of implementation of marine carbon sink fisheries. (2) In the long term, higher value of marine carbon sink fisheries and their derived products is the essential demand of fishermen, which can effectively improve the depth of diffusion of fishermen's cooperation in developing marine carbon sink fisheries. (3) To avoid the spread of betrayal in the later stages of marine carbon sink fisheries development, the government can gradually reduce production subsidies and convert them into environmental subsidies in the sale process.

Research on the Construction Path of China's Zero-carbon Ports from the Perspective of Marine Carbon Sink Trading

At present, the international market has gradually carried out research on forecasting the trading price of carbon emissions with macroeconomics and energy market as the main influencing factors, supplemented by other factors such as policy factors. In order to speed up the construction of carbon accounting system, enrich the content of China's carbon pricing mechanism and improve the carbon emission trading market, this study constructs an index system from four aspects: macro-economy, energy price, climate environment and international market, and objectively screens out the important influencing factors of carbon trading price through Lasso regression, and uses BP neural network prediction model to predict carbon trading price. [7] We should focus on reducing the proportion of coal consumption by port enterprises and increasing other clean energy consumption. This result can provide basis and reference for the construction of zero-carbon ports and the construction of ocean-port carbon trading information platform in China.

Canada's marine carbon sink: an early career perspective on the state of research and existing knowledge gaps

Improving our understanding of how the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide is critical to climate change mitigation efforts. We, a group of early career ocean professionals working in Canada, summarize current research and identify steps forward to improve our understanding of the marine carbon sink in Canadian national and offshore waters. We have compiled an extensive collection of reported surface ocean air–sea carbon dioxide exchange values within each of Canada's three adjacent ocean basins. We review the current understanding of air–sea carbon fluxes and identify major challenges limiting our understanding in the Pacific, the Arctic, and the Atlantic Ocean. We focus on ways of reducing uncertainty to inform Canada's carbon stocktake, establish baselines for marine carbon dioxide removal projects, and support efforts to mitigate and adapt to ocean acidification. Future directions recommended by this group include investing in maturing and building capacity in the use of marine carbon sensors, improving ocean biogeochemical models fit-for-purpose in regional and ocean carbon dioxide removal applications, creating transparent and robust monitoring, verification, and reporting protocols for marine carbon dioxide removal, tailoring community-specific approaches to co-generate knowledge with First Nations, and advancing training opportunities for early career ocean professionals in marine carbon science and technology.

Research progress and prospect of marine carbon sink

Research progress and prospect of marine carbon sink

Diversity and Carbon Sequestration of Seaweed in the Ma’an Archipelago, China

Seaweed communities perform a variety of ecological services, including primary productivity supply, biological habitat construction, water purification, and acting as marine carbon sinks. The abundance of seaweed is the basis for the assessment of ecological services in communities. The Ma’an Archipelago, adjacent to the Yangtze River estuary in China, is an important and typical island group. In this study, the abundance of seaweed in the typical coastal islands of the Ma’an Archipelago, Zhejiang Province, was evaluated by means of sonar detection and scuba diving sampling methods. The organic carbon content of six dominant seaweed species was measured to estimate the carbon sequestration capacity of the dominant species in the Ma’an Archipelago. The results show that 27 species of Rhodophyta, 10 species of Ochrophyta, and two species of Chlorophyta were found in the Ma’an Archipelago. Seaweed was distributed in the coastal areas of the islands, with a distribution width of 2–60 m. Gouqi Island had the longest shoreline, and there, the distribution depth of the seaweed reached 15 m and the area of the seaweed community was the largest. The slope of the rocks in the Sanheng survey area was large and the width of the seaweed community was small. The distribution area of seaweed in the Ma’an Archipelago was 6.51–13.43 km2 and the organic carbon content of the seaweed was 33.16 ± 3.26%. The biomass of Ochrophyta in the Ma’an Archipelago was the largest, followed by Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta. Among the six dominant species, the carbon sequestration of Sargassum thunbergii was the largest, at 277.91–848.74 t per year, and that of Undaria pinnatifida was the smallest. This study provides scientific guidance for the assessment of the primary productivity supply, carbon sink, and conservation capacity of seaweeds in China.

Risk and Impacts Associated with Marine Carbon Sink Projects: An Example from Guangdong, China

He, Y.; Hu, Y.; Xie, S.; Li, C.; Xu, M., and Chen, X., 2023. Risk and impacts associated with marine carbon sink projects: An example from Guangdong, China. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(2), 246–256. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. This paper aims to measure the risk and impact of the marine carbon sink project in Guangdong, China. This measurement increases the investors' willingness to participate in development and operation of such projects, and promotes the transformation of a low-carbon economy and society. This research employs triangular fuzzy number and Structural Equation Model to develop the risk measurement model of the marine carbon sink project. The net present value and risk equivalent methods measure the impact of risk factors on the project value and investment decision of the representative project in China. The results showed that: (1) there are certain risks in developing marine carbon sequestration projects, including policy, natural, market, and human behavior risks. The comprehensive risk value is 0.444. (2) Among the different types of marine carbon sink risks, the large ones are those caused by storm surges, invasion of alien species, and unknown ownership of marine carbon sink. (3) The risk of marine carbon sequestration reduces the profitability of its projects. (4) Compared with the traditional net present value method, the risk equivalent method is more in line with the development and operation of marine carbon sink projects. Based on this, combined with the risk characteristics and potential factors of marine carbon sequestration projects, and to promote their sustainable development, this paper has the following suggestions: (1) Strengthen policy evaluation and regulation, and formulate policies and measures in line with the development stage of marine carbon sequestration trading. (2) Strengthen the early warning of natural disasters and formulate targeted disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief plans. (3) Strengthen the dynamic supervision of marine carbon sequestration transactions and formulate emergency plans for market transaction risks. (4) Improve public participation and establish a reward and punishment mechanism for human behavior risk prevention and control.

A game study on the implementation of marine carbon sink fisheries in the context of carbon neutrality − Analysis of the tripartite behavior of fishery practitioners, research institutions, and the government

Marine carbon sink fisheries are an important means of increasing blue carbon sinks and thus achieving carbon neutrality, with numerous environmental and certain economic benefits. However, due to the consideration of costs and benefits, it is clear that whether and how to implement or participate in marine carbon sink fisheries is not a random decision, but a long-term, complex, and dynamic process. Therefore, this paper constructs a mathematical model containing fishery practitioners, research institutions, and government based on the evolutionary game approach, as well as simulates and analyzes the stability of the three parties. The results of the study show that (1) with the guidance of government incentives and penalties, high-quality scientific research results can effectively help fishery practitioners to more effectively develop marine carbon sink fisheries. (2) High regulation may discourage fishery practitioners and research institutions from promoting the development of marine carbon sink fisheries, while additional government funding and guidance can effectively increase the willingness of fishery practitioners and research institutions to implement or participate in marine carbon sink fisheries. In particular, during the early stage, the government's policy guidance should be based on subsidies and funding, supplemented by penalties. (3) To ensure the efficient implementation of marine carbon sink fisheries, relevant entities should also focus on restoring and maintaining marine ecosystems, so their ecological value can create additional benefits to fishery practitioners and convince them to more proactively implement marine carbon sink fisheries.

Evaluation and Determinants of the Digital Inclusive Financial Support Efficiency for Marine Carbon Sink Fisheries: Evidence from China.

The development of digital inclusive finance has greatly improved the feasibility of financial inclusion. Therefore, in the context of the constrained financing of marine carbon sink fisheries, we try to investigate whether digital inclusive finance exhibits a supportive effect on marine carbon sink fisheries and thus enhances the capacity of marine carbon sinks. Specifically, this paper empirically calculates the grey correlation between the development of digital inclusive finance and marine carbon sinks based on data in nine coastal provinces of China from 2011 to 2019. The empirical results show that the grey relational coefficients between the above two in China are more than 0.5, revealing a significant positive correlation. Then, on this basis, we estimate the digital inclusive financial support efficiency (DIFSE) for marine carbon sink fisheries by applying the Super-EBM model. In addition, the determinants affecting the DIFSE for marine carbon sink fisheries selected based on the grounded theory are explored through the Tobit model. The conclusions are as follows. First, there are time-varying characteristics and regional heterogeneity in DIFSE. Generally, the effect of China's digital inclusive financial support for marine carbon sink fisheries is expanding year by year. Among them, the DIFSE in the northern marine economic circle is currently the highest, followed by that in the south and east. Second, the input of productive factors, promotion of fishery skill, development of fishery technology, and Internet coverage will significantly increase the value of DIFSE, while output structure, income level, fishery disasters, and marine pollution will have significant negative effects on DIFSE. These empirical results can help policymakers better understand the contribution of digital inclusive finance to marine carbon sink fisheries and provide them with valuable information for the formulation of supportive policies.