A smart aquaculture project in Jinan is emerging as a large-scale mandarin fish production hub, combining intelligent farming, equipment manufacturing, and seafood processing into an integrated industrial chain.

The "Tianxia Yucang" project, which recently started construction in Jiyang district, uses factory-based intelligent recirculating aquaculture technology to enable year-round fish production in a controlled environment. Once completed in May 2028, the project will include 317 standardized farming facilities and 634 smart aquaculture systems, with an annual output of 6,000 metric tons of high-quality mandarin fish.

The smart farming systems integrate automated temperature control, water quality monitoring, and intelligent management. The water temperature is maintained between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius throughout the year, while recycled water and waste treatment systems help reduce resource consumption and support more sustainable aquaculture.

Beyond fish farming, the project is building a complete industry value chain. Its equipment production line will be able to manufacture 3,000 recirculating aquaculture systems annually after reaching full capacity, while supporting facilities for aquaculture materials and feed processing are planned for development in 2027. The finished products, including prepared mandarin fish fillets, fermented mandarin fish, and canned products, will be supplied to supermarkets, restaurants, and online platforms.

With a total investment of 1.9 billion yuan ($281.38 million), the project is expected to reshape northern China's mandarin fish industry through technology-driven integrated development.

An aerial view shows the "Tianxia Yucang" smart aquaculture base in Jiyang district, Jinan. [Photo/Wechat account: jiyangrongmei]