In August, coastal cities in Guangdong successively held fishing season opening activities, showcasing the vigorous vitality of the marine economy.
This year, Guangdong took the lead nationwide by introducing the «Guangdong Provincial Coastal Zone and Marine Spatial Plan (2021–2035).» On July 1, Guangdong’s first local regulation promoting marine economic development, the «Guangdong Province Regulations on Promoting High-Quality Development of the Marine Economy,» officially came into effect. This not only reflects Guangdong’s pioneering spirit but also highlights its proactive role as a major economic province.
Guangdong has a strong foundation and advantages for developing its marine economy, making the sustained promotion of high-quality marine economic development a natural priority. First, marine energy development is outstanding and leads the nation. Taking Yangjiang as an example, it is a major marine city where green energy, port industries, marine ranching, and coastal tourism form the blueprint for its marine economic development.
Yangjiang has a total installed power capacity of over 22.8 million kilowatts, ranking first in Guangdong, with green energy accounting for about half. The planned installed capacity for offshore wind power is 20 million kilowatts, of which over 6 million kilowatts are grid-connected, representing half of Guangdong’s total and ranking second nationally. Projects under construction and in preliminary stages amount to 7 million kilowatts, with an additional 7 million kilowatts awaiting allocation, both ranking first nationally. Currently, the International Wind Power City has attracted several leading enterprises.
At present, marine ranching and offshore wind power are experiencing explosive growth, and the application potential of «AI + marine» is enormous. The next step could involve a comprehensive upgrade toward unmanned and intelligent operations, continuously increasing the proportion of marine manufacturing. Leveraging Guangdong’s manufacturing strengths (shipbuilding) and vast maritime area, the province has advantages in equipment, resources, and markets for building marine ranches and developing offshore wind power.
Currently, the world’s first integrated wind power and fishing intelligent equipment, «Mingyu No. 1,» has completed its third year of seedling release for aquaculture. The scale and number of deep-water cages rank second in the province, with an annual aquatic product output of 1.2291 million tons. Prepared dish production capacity exceeds 80,000 tons, and the largest seawater fry base in the country has been established, with seawater fry production ranking first in the province.
By the end of 2024, the top three research fields for marine patents in Guangdong are mainly seawater desalination treatment, ship and related equipment manufacturing, and aquatic product processing. Currently, Guangdong leads the nation in the number of conservation-oriented national marine ranches and ranks among the top in seawater product output. Coastal areas such as Zhuhai, Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang, and Chaozhou have favorable seawater resource conditions. Building on the traditional scattered marine fisheries, the development of large-scale, intensive nearshore and deep-sea aquaculture is progressing, with a complete industrial chain spanning upstream breeding innovation, midstream intelligent aquaculture, and downstream prepared seafood products and brand building. Marine ranches typically require multiple supporting small vessels, which can also provide incremental benefits for many small and medium-sized shipyards. This synergistic industrial development ensures highly efficient resource matching and utilization.
Second, the development of the marine economy is integrated with Guangdong’s «Hundreds, Thousands, and Tens of Thousands Project,» fostering innovative practices. Raoping County in Chaozhou adheres to «empowerment through technology, ecological priority, and full-chain integration,» making continuous efforts in seawater fry cultivation, cage aquaculture, and port industries to build a rich «blue granary.» Raoping County has invested 212 million yuan in the construction of a provincial modern industrial park for prepared dishes, cultivating a group of leading enterprises in the prepared dish industry, continuously enhancing product added value and market competitiveness, supporting enterprises in accelerating the development of cross-border e-commerce, cold chain storage, logistics, and other industries, and promoting the active export of agricultural products. Developing the marine economy as a key driver of the «Hundreds, Thousands, and Tens of Thousands Project» based on local resource endowments has truly benefited the local economy.
Third, the marine economy is also combined with policies to promote consumption. Using the marine economy as a lever to expand and boost consumption has not only allowed people to feel the vibrant atmosphere of the marine economy but also stimulated consumption. «Come to Guangdong for Summer Vacation» became the hottest invitation this summer. Recently, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Zhuhai Municipal Government, in collaboration with CCTV News, produced the Guangdong Island Concert «Chasing the Sea and Mountains, Embracing Passion» as part of the «Follow the Songs to Check-In · Island Edition» series, which aired on the CCTV News integrated media platform and the CCTV Arts Channel (edited version
