Research on the optimization of the industrial aquaculture management mode based on bioeconomic analysis: A case study of Cynoglossus semilaevis aquaculture in China

Scientific management plays a pivotal role in driving the sustainable intensification of global aquaculture. Optimizing farming management modes and enhancing comprehensive aquaculture efficiency will contribute to enriching the “Blue Granary” while improving its ecological sustainability and resilience. Using Cynoglossus semilaevis Günther farmed in China as an example and utilizing multivariate statistical analysis on field survey data collected from major production regions between 2021 and 2024, this study aims to identify key factors influencing economic performance and help farmers to optimize their management strategies for this species. The results indicate that: within the surveyed production areas, the large-scale industrial recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) mode showed significantly superior economic benefits; the grow-out rate, a pivotal factor affecting economic returns, is predominantly determined by the feminization rate of seedlings; utilities cost and labor cost are the major factors significantly influencing the total revenue of farming this species; while the industry currently exhibits diminishing returns to scale during the study period, it still retains notable economies of scale in unit cost efficiency. To accelerate the sustainable intensification of this industry, the study recommends farmers to adopt large-scale industrial RAS mode, prioritize high-quality seedlings, and optimize production and management modes. Furthermore, different level governments should increase subsidies for industrial RAS mode to curb adverse selection during the blue transformation of the industry, thereby promoting the high-quality development of global aquaculture.