On November 29th, the 9th Innovation and Development Conference of the Big Yellow Croaker Industry was held in Ningde (Xiapu) in Xiapu County, Ningde City, Fujian Province. The event, themed “Mountain-Sea Ningde, Yellow Croaker Capital,” was organized under the Fujian Provincial Initiative and included 100 project matchmaking events dedicated to promoting high-quality development of the marine economy. The aim of the conference is to further strengthen the brand influence of Ningde's big yellow crocus and promote the high-quality development of the entire industry chain, from seedling cultivation and aquaculture to processing, marketing and branding.
Opening ceremony of the 9th Large Yellow Croaker Industry Innovation and Development Conference in Ningde (Xiapu).
This year's conference is themed “Innovation · Development · Quality · Brand” and is in line with the broader trend of promoting high-quality growth in the maritime economy. Through a series of innovative initiatives and diverse activities, the event aims to increase the competitiveness of the Ningde large yellow croaker industry and help the brand break regional boundaries – steadily moving closer to the strategic goal of “expanding beyond Ningde, beyond China and onto the global stage”.
“The Industry Innovation and Development Conference not only serves as a platform for exchanges, but also as a bridge for cooperation,” said Zheng Zhonghui, vice mayor of Ningde. He pointed out that this year's conference provides a comprehensive presentation of the progress made in the development of Ningde's large-scale yellowfish industry, while providing an important opportunity to deepen the integration of fisheries, culture and tourism and expand the space for industrial development.
The opening ceremony showcased a number of new scientific and technological achievements in the large yellow crows industry, including a rapid on-site detection method for Trypanosoma parasites, technologies for developing new deep-sea aquaculture breeding lines, and key techniques for quality control and high-quality utilization of farmed large yellow crows. In addition, six science and technology cooperation agreements, three industrial cooperation agreements and two bank-enterprise cooperation agreements were signed, giving new impetus to the development of the industry.
“Fujian is currently making solid progress in advancing the “Marine Economics Agenda” and planning for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. “The large yellowfish industry is seizing new policy and market opportunities while facing the challenge of modernization and transformation – challenges that require strong scientific and technological support,” said Zhu Hong, level-2 inspector of the Fujian Provincial Department of Oceans and Fisheries. He noted that the conference produced fruitful results and provided a high-quality platform that will significantly strengthen the foundation for industry innovation and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
According to organizers, this year's Large Yellow Croaker Industry Innovation and Development Conference includes both offline and online components. The offline segment, which forms the core of the event, includes not only the opening ceremony but also a range of activities related to the National Fish IP. These include a large-scale tasting event for tens of thousands of consumers, offline promotional activities to boost yellow croaker sales, an innovative culinary competition centered around the “National Fish”, the Mindong Specialty Food Carnival and the Ningde-Taiwan Youth Cultural and Music Festival. Taken together, these activities promote a deeper integration of industry presentation, consumer promotion and cultural exchange; The focus of the online segment is on brand communication and market connection. From November 1st, activities such as “1,000 e-commerce hosts promote the national fish”, influencer livestream promotions and large-scale e-commerce campaigns were launched for a month to stimulate market engagement and fully revitalize the industry.
The large yellow croak, also known as the Chinese yellow croak, has a golden body, reddish lips and tender, white, nutrient-rich flesh. In China, eight out of ten large yellow croakers served on the dinner table come from Ningde. The city has become the country's central hub for breeding, farming, processing, marketing and branding of large yellow perch, earning the title of “China's Large Yellow Perch Capital.”
In recent years, Ningde has continued to implement the “National Fish Initiative”, promote the revitalization of seed farming, promote environmentally friendly aquaculture, expand processing and sales channels, and strengthen advertising and marketing efforts. These measures have continuously promoted the comprehensive modernization of the entire major chain of the yellowfish industry – from juvenile fish farming and aquaculture to processing, marketing and brand development. In 2024, Ningde's large yellow croaker production reached 214,900 tons, accounting for about 80 percent of the country's total production, with the entire industry value chain exceeding RMB 20 billion. Today, the city has established a coordinated development pattern characterized by “Fuding providing support in seed breeding, Xiapu leading in production scale, and Jiaocheng maintaining a well-developed industrial chain.”
According to Li Shengli, executive vice president and secretary general of the China Fisheries Association, Ningde's big yellow crooked fish's regional brand influence now extends across the country and onto the global stage. It has become not only a “fish of prosperity” that increases local incomes and supports rural revitalization, but also a “fish of revitalization” that symbolizes the high-quality development of China's fishing industry and serves as the sector's outstanding “golden calling card”.
As the host site for this year's conference, Xiapu County benefits from exceptional marine resources, making it an ideal habitat for the growth and reproduction of large yellow cropped birds. In recent years, the county has further strengthened its industrial chain: processing companies have introduced new products, e-commerce platforms have expanded sales channels, and improved logistics systems have allowed large yellow croaker products to reach consumers more efficiently. The industry is now thriving on the path of high quality and sustainable development.
Wu Yinduo, deputy party secretary of Xiapu County, said that Xiapu will view this conference as a new starting point to accelerate the construction of a more complete, resilient and competitive modern large yellow fish industrial chain, and ensure that the “National Fish” brand shines throughout the country and reaches markets around the world.
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