Bivalve production in China

Abstract

Bivalve is the main species of mariculture in China. In 2015, bivalve production was about 12.4 million tonnes, accounting for more than 66% of China's total mariculture production. The first record of shellfish culture in China, about oyster culture, can be tracked back to 2000 years ago. The large-scale aquaculture started in the 1950s with the breakthrough in seed breeding techniques for Tegillarca granosa and Ruditapes philippinarum. Subsequently, with the promotion of seed breeding and artificial seed collection for mussels, scallops and oysters, the bivalve aquaculture industry has rapidly developed. In the twenty-first century, the scale of bivalve farming is constantly expanding, with increasing culture species and yield. The length of the coastline of China is about 18,000 km comprising 11 coastal provinces (Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces), all suitable for bivalve culture. Due to the significant difference in climate, the distribution of bivalve species is obviously regional. The major culture methods in China are longline culture (major species oysters, scallops, mussels, etc.) and bottom culture (clams). In this paper, we will describe the process of the longline cultured bivalve (Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus), and the bottom cultured ones (Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum and cockle clam Tegillarca granosa).