BEIJING — China has unveiled a new five-year fisheries development plan aimed at increasing the supply of high-quality aquatic products while modernising aquaculture, strengthening marine-resource protection and expanding the use of artificial intelligence.

The plan, covering the 2026–2030 period, was issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as part of China’s broader 15th Five-Year Plan. Officials said the country wants to improve both the quality and efficiency of its fisheries sector by 2030.

Under the plan, China intends to keep the area of waters used for fisheries broadly stable while improving the structure of the industry. Authorities are targeting stronger production of high-quality aquatic food without sacrificing environmental sustainability.

Modern technology is expected to play a larger role in the sector. The government plans to accelerate development of advanced equipment and expand the use of big data and artificial intelligence in fisheries.

Aquaculture will receive particular attention. Authorities want to upgrade freshwater farming and marine aquaculture while improving breeding technologies and production facilities.

The plan also places greater emphasis on sustainable fishing. China intends to strengthen total-catch management and keep annual domestic marine catches within 10 million tonnes.

Protection of aquatic ecosystems is another central component. The government will continue implementing the Yangtze River’s 10-year fishing ban and strengthen protection of aquatic wildlife and natural fishery resources.

China also aims to slow the decline of marine fishery resources and support the recovery of rare aquatic species.

The scale of China’s fisheries sector makes the policy particularly significant. The country produced 76.52 million tonnes of aquatic products in 2025, while aquaculture alone accounted for 63.26 million tonnes, more than half of global aquaculture output.

The new strategy also looks beyond China’s domestic market. Authorities plan to develop modern distant-water fisheries, participate more actively in global fisheries governance and expand international cooperation.

The government expects technological upgrades, improved management and stronger environmental protection to help create a more productive and sustainable fisheries industry.

The strategy demonstrates China’s effort to combine food security, technological innovation and ecological conservation as it modernises one of the world’s largest aquatic-food sectors.