SANYA, September 29. /TASS/. The Sanya authorities intend to actively develop deep-sea fish farms to protect marine life, reported the Sanya Daily. 

Cage aquaculture is a technology for raising fish, molluscs, crabs and crayfish in special containers made of fine mesh in water bodies and on the seashore. The location of such farms in sea waters, where the natural current provides a constant circulation of water, makes it possible to increase their productivity, accelerate the growth of cultivated marine crops and reduce the negative effect of feed and fish waste products in the water. 

One of these fish farms is located on the coast of Sidao Island (south of Sanya). "We currently have 98 large cages, in which we annually grow about 20 tonnes of fertilized eggs, which allows us to get 150 million fry," a spokesman for the farm Li Bisin told the newspaper. “We receive over 3,000 tonnes of ready-to-sell fish per year, worth about 100 million yuan (about $ 15.5 million),” he added.

According to him, the tropical climate and the purity of the water ensure the high quality of fish products, and also make it possible to grow fish all year round. As the newspaper notes, cage aquaculture is a new "green technology" that is virtually harmless to marine life compared to conventional fishing. According to the news outlet, more than 35,000 tonnes of fish are grown annually in such fisheries in Sanya, with a total value of about 2 billion yuan (about $ 310 million). Then this fish is shipped to all regions of China.

As Li Bisin noted, the water area of ​​the Sanya resort is very suitable for such farms: the water temperature ranges from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius, so the hibernation period for the fish stocks on the farm is rather short, which accelerates its growth and reproduction, and the circulation of water reduces the risk of spreading diseases among the population.

The state of industry

According to the newspaper, the Sanya authorities are taking steps to preserve the marine fauna and protect the environment. In order to do so, 65 fishing vessels were built or refitted in Sanya during the thirteenth five-year plan (2016-2020), the displacement of the largest of them is 1,100 tonnes. In 2016, the most modern and largest fishing port in the province, Yazhou, was commissioned in the city area. 

In total, there are 211 fish breeding cages in the Sanya waters, and the most popular marine crops for cultivation are sea bream and cobia.

As head of one of these fish farms Liu Jinping told the newspaper, this is a rather profitable business. According to him, his company has been operating since 2015, its revenues during this time reached 130 million yuan (about $ 20.2 million). He noted that in the near future the company plans to apply for another 7 square kilometers of water area and invest 5 billion yuan (about $ 775.2 million) in the acquisition and installation of cages and the related infrastructure.

Moreover, the Sanya authorities are encouraging fishermen to form big cooperatives to improve efficiency and fish in distant waters.

Fishing tourism

A new destination for the island's fishing industry is the so-called fishing tourism. Those who purchase such trips can enjoy a boat trip, water views, go fishing, taste delicious seafood, learn the tricks of the craft from fishermen, and visit their native villages.

According to the newspaper, this area of ​​recreation is already in great demand among tourists. Liu Jinping told the newspaper that his fisheries are currently planning to start developing this service sector. Over the past six years, his company has converted three 56-meter schooners for this purpose, and also purchased three more 40-meter pleasure yachts. According to him, they can provide such services to 30,000 tourists annually.