In 2025, the total national output of aquatic products exceeded 76 million mt.

The Fisheries Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently released the 2025 National Fisheries Economic Statistics Bulletin (hereinafter referred to as the “Communique”). According to the data, the total output of aquatic products in China in 2025 reached 76,521,400 mt, an increase of 4.00% year-on-year.

In 2025, in the face of the complex and severe situation of increasing external pressure and increasing internal difficulties, the national fishery system focused on stabilising production and supply, promoting industrial development, and promoting increasing fishermen’s income.

Value

According to the communique, the total output value of the national fishery economy was RMB 3548.830 billion, of which the output value of fisheries was RMB 1735.439 billion, the output value of seafood processing and construction industry was RMB 760.608 billion, and the output value of seafood trade and service industry was RMB 1052.783 billion. Within the output value of fishery trade and service industry, the output value of leisure fisheries was RMB 106.296 billion, an increase of 7.52% year-on-year.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the output value of sea aquaculture was RMB 509.142 billion, the output value of marine fishing RMB 274.964 billion yuan, the output value of freshwater aquaculture RMB 919.936 billion, and the output value of freshwater fishing RMB 31.397 billion. Among the fishery output value, that of aquatic seedlings was RMB 92.462 billion.

Volume

According to the communique, in 2025, the total output of aquatic products in the country was 76,521,400 mt, of which the aquaculture output was 63,256,200 mt, an increase of 4.38% year-on-year; the fishing output was 13,265,200 mt, an increase of 2.23% year-on-year. The output of seawater products was 38,599,400 mt, an increase of 4.07% year-on-year; the output of freshwater products was 3,792,200 mt, an increase of 3.93% year-on-year.

Income

In terms of per capita net income of fishermen, in 2025, according to a survey of the income and expenditure of nearly 10,000 fishermen’s families across the country, the per capita net income of fishermen nationwide was RMB 28,676.94, an increase of RMB 1545.94 over the previous year, an increase of 5.70% year-on-year.

Area

In terms of aquaculture area, in 2025, the national aquaculture area was 7,760,600 hectares, an increase of 2.55% year-on-year. Among them, the area of seawater aquaculture was 2,408,520 hectares, an increase of 7.52% year-on-year; the area of freshwater aquaculture is 5,352,080 hectares, an increase of 0.46% year-on-year.

Foreign trade

According to the statistics of the General Administration of Customs, in 2025, China’s total import and export of aquatic products was 11,657,100 mt, an increase of 4.35% year-on-year; the total import and export was USD 45.645 billion, an increase of 4.13% year-on-year. Among them, exports amounted 4,582,400 mt, an increase of 8.11% year-on-year; with a value of USD 20,714 billion, down 0.13% year-on-year; imports were 7,074,700 mt, an increase of 2.05% year-on-year; with a value of USD 24.931 billion, an increase of 7.94% year-on-year. The trade deficit was USD 4.218 billion, an increase of USD 1.860 billion over the same period last year.

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success

(Adapted from the China Food Newspaper)