On October 16th, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region’s Department of Finance announced significant funding efforts to support various sectors of its economy, particularly the fishing industry. Since the beginning of 2024, Guangxi has allocated a total of 130 million yuan (approximately $18 million) to address the central government’s adjustments in petroleum prices, providing subsidies for the fishing industry, agricultural development, and ecological resource protection.
In an interview, a representative from the department shared the strategic focus on modernizing and diversifying the aquatic food supply system. “We have earmarked 73 million yuan specifically for the development of modern facility-based fisheries,” they explained. This funding will support crucial projects such as the establishment of initial processing and refrigerated facilities for aquatic products, and the enhancement of pond farming through standardization and water recycling systems, with an aim to achieve a 3.5% increase in aquatic product yield by 2024.
Furthermore, Guangxi is investing 28.4 million yuan to promote ecological fishing practices. This includes the establishment of seven ecological fisheries bases across larger water surfaces, which received a collective investment of 10 million yuan, as well as funding for combined planting and breeding projects. The official highlighted, “Our goal is to foster sustainable fishing practices that not only boost the economy but also protect our aquatic ecosystems.”
An additional 19.8 million yuan has been allocated to various initiatives aimed at enhancing green and healthy aquaculture practices, particularly through five key actions in 2024. These initiatives cover emergency responses to aquatic animal epidemics, quality safety monitoring for aquatic products, and improvements in fisheries statistical data management.
On the resource conservation front, Guangxi has set aside 8.62 million yuan for ecological restoration efforts. “We emphasize the importance of releasing bred species to enhance biodiversity,” the representative noted. Efforts will be made across 11 districts and 15 counties to incrementally increase the release of endangered and unique aquatic species, thereby also restoring economic species in suitable regions to benefit local fishermen.
Looking ahead, the Guangxi Department of Finance intends to refine its support framework for freshwater fisheries. They plan to actively seek additional central government support and optimize financial investment mechanisms to address any developmental gaps in the fisheries sector.
