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Chinese platform installed in deep waters combines fish farming, automation, and industrial processing at sea, as the first catch from Zhanjiang Bay 1 shows how ocean aquaculture begins to test new paths to expand protein supply on a commercial scale.
Completed on June 18, the first catch of fish raised at Zhanjiang Bay 1 marked the operational start of a Chinese maritime platform dedicated to aquaculture in waters far from the coast.
In January, the system received about 380,000 jin of fry, a Chinese measure equivalent to approximately 190 tons, according to a CCTV News publication reproduced by Tencent News.
The operation represented the first productive result of the equipment after it came into use, with the initial removal of fish of the species identified in Chinese sources as chizui mian.
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In local reports, the fish is described as a high-value marine species, raised in a deep-water environment and associated with the advancement of so-called modern “marine ranches.”
Ocean fish farm in Guangdong
Officially delivered on November 19, 2025, Zhanjiang Bay 1 is linked to the coastal city of Zhanjiang, in Guangdong province, southern China.
The project was presented by China Daily as the world’s first aquaculture platform-vessel with floating cages and dynamic positioning, a solution that allows the structure to operate offshore without relying solely on traditional fixed systems.
With 154 meters in length and 44 meters in width, the platform has 80,000 cubic meters of farming volume, distributed in an industrial structure designed to operate in a maritime environment.
In total, there are 12 independent farming areas, planned to accommodate different species simultaneously, with an estimated annual capacity between 2,000 and 5,000 tons of fish.
Instead of on-land tanks or cages near the coast, the model uses a vessel capable of functioning as an industrial farm in the ocean, in deeper maritime areas.
According to China Daily, the structure was planned to operate about 30 nautical miles from Naozhou Island, off Zhanjiang, as part of China’s strategy to expand aquaculture to open sea regions.
Technology for Open Sea Fish Farming
In practice, the Chinese proposal combines fish farming, technological monitoring, and automation in a single structure, with equipment aimed at continuous control of farming conditions.
Among the onboard systems are intelligent feeding, net cleaning, platform monitoring, farming environment monitoring, and wireless transmission, as well as self-propulsion, dynamic positioning, green energy, and emergency response to typhoons.
During the first catch, the fish were described by Chinese sources as healthy, with good growth, full bodies, stable swimming, and quick reaction at the time of removal.
These signs were used by the project leaders to indicate that open and deep-water farming had achieved an initial result considered consistent.
However, the production is not expected to be limited to the sale of whole fish, as part of the catch began to supply a processing chain focused on items with higher commercial value.
According to Sina Finance, the company Zhanjiang Longwangwan Marine Ranch Technology, linked to the operation, started transforming the fish into fish gelatin, cuts, portions, dried fish, and dried scales.
This industrial utilization expands the economic reach of open-sea farming because it allows the same batch of fish to supply different consumption and marketing chains.
In addition to direct distribution to consumers, the processed products are expected to strengthen brand building and sales in digital channels associated with the project.
Oceanic Aquaculture and the Sea Economy
Developed by the South China Sea Marine Science and Engineering Laboratory of Guangdong, Zhanjiang Bay 1 is part of the local strategy to modernize maritime production.
According to the China Daily, the institution described the structure as the largest aquaculture platform in Guangdong in terms of water volume and one of the province’s main bets on intelligent sea operations.
By operating far from the coast, this type of equipment helps explain the interest sparked by the Chinese experience beyond the traditional fishing sector.
Deep-water aquaculture seeks to shift part of the production to areas with greater water renewal while reducing dependence on coastal zones pressured by fishing, urban occupation, ports, and other economic activities.
Despite the initial result, available data indicate that the project is still in the industrial validation phase, and not in full operation with a consolidated global impact.
The first catch represents a stage used to test equipment, management, fish health, farming performance, and the ability to transform the fish into marketable products.
The China Daily reported that the platform can cultivate various species and that new introductions, such as the golden pompano, were planned for the first half of 2026.
With sales organized in batches according to breeding performance and market conditions, the strategy points to a gradual expansion, dependent on technical results and commercial acceptance.
For China, the initiative is part of an attempt to modernize the so-called “ocean economy” and expand protein production through more technological systems.
The expression “blue pastures,” used in Chinese sources to describe this segment, sums up the bet on marine farms capable of integrating naval engineering, automation, and intensive fish farming.
Thus, the first harvest of Zhanjiang Bay 1 does not alone confirm an immediate change in the global food supply, but demonstrates a concrete step of a model that China is trying to make replicable.
Its impact will depend on the regularity of future catches, the scale achieved, operating costs, and the ability to maintain quality, productivity, and food safety in the open sea.
