Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)

Offshore mariculture is a critical component of China’s aquaculture sector, but its rapid expansion presents significant challenges to sustainable marine resource management. This study utilizes high-resolution remote sensing data (2017–2023) and advanced ConvNeXt V2 algorithms to quantitatively ana...

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Main Authors: Zewen Mo, Yulin Chen, Xuan Zhang, Zhipan Wang, Qingling Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/7/1227
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author Zewen Mo
Yulin Chen
Xuan Zhang
Zhipan Wang
Qingling Zhang
author_facet Zewen Mo
Yulin Chen
Xuan Zhang
Zhipan Wang
Qingling Zhang
author_sort Zewen Mo
collection DOAJ
description Offshore mariculture is a critical component of China’s aquaculture sector, but its rapid expansion presents significant challenges to sustainable marine resource management. This study utilizes high-resolution remote sensing data (2017–2023) and advanced ConvNeXt V2 algorithms to quantitatively analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of offshore mariculture and explore its spatial distribution in relation to marine functional zoning policies. Through a detailed classification of six mariculture types, this study reveals significant spatial shifts, with China’s offshore mariculture transitioning from a model characterized by a “coastal, concentrated layout” to a new paradigm of “deep-sea and far-sea expansion, multi-point distribution”. Notably, the area of deep-sea and far-sea mariculture increased by 41.8% in regions with water depths of 50 m or more from 2018 to 2022. However, in 2022, the actual mariculture area accounted for only 0.608% of the designated functional zones, while 61.79% of mariculture activities occurred outside these planned zones, indicating a considerable spatial mismatch between mariculture practices and zoning plans. This study underscores the urgent need to optimize spatial planning and regulatory frameworks to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability, offering novel insights and actionable recommendations for the coordinated development of China’s marine economy.
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spelling doaj-art-9fc4a2c74dd64805a8802f50d1af01d22025-08-20T02:09:17ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-03-01177122710.3390/rs17071227Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)Zewen Mo0Yulin Chen1Xuan Zhang2Zhipan Wang3Qingling Zhang4School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, 66 Gongchang Road, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, 66 Gongchang Road, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, 66 Gongchang Road, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, 66 Gongchang Road, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, 66 Gongchang Road, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaOffshore mariculture is a critical component of China’s aquaculture sector, but its rapid expansion presents significant challenges to sustainable marine resource management. This study utilizes high-resolution remote sensing data (2017–2023) and advanced ConvNeXt V2 algorithms to quantitatively analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of offshore mariculture and explore its spatial distribution in relation to marine functional zoning policies. Through a detailed classification of six mariculture types, this study reveals significant spatial shifts, with China’s offshore mariculture transitioning from a model characterized by a “coastal, concentrated layout” to a new paradigm of “deep-sea and far-sea expansion, multi-point distribution”. Notably, the area of deep-sea and far-sea mariculture increased by 41.8% in regions with water depths of 50 m or more from 2018 to 2022. However, in 2022, the actual mariculture area accounted for only 0.608% of the designated functional zones, while 61.79% of mariculture activities occurred outside these planned zones, indicating a considerable spatial mismatch between mariculture practices and zoning plans. This study underscores the urgent need to optimize spatial planning and regulatory frameworks to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability, offering novel insights and actionable recommendations for the coordinated development of China’s marine economy.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/7/1227remote sensing imagesdeep-sea and far-sea mariculturemariculture spatial layoutmarine functional zoning
spellingShingle Zewen Mo
Yulin Chen
Xuan Zhang
Zhipan Wang
Qingling Zhang
Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)
Remote Sensing
remote sensing images
deep-sea and far-sea mariculture
mariculture spatial layout
marine functional zoning
title Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)
title_full Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)
title_short Spatiotemporal Trends and Zoning Geospatial Assessment in China’s Offshore Mariculture (2018–2022)
title_sort spatiotemporal trends and zoning geospatial assessment in china s offshore mariculture 2018 2022
topic remote sensing images
deep-sea and far-sea mariculture
mariculture spatial layout
marine functional zoning
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/7/1227
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AT xuanzhang spatiotemporaltrendsandzoninggeospatialassessmentinchinasoffshoremariculture20182022
AT zhipanwang spatiotemporaltrendsandzoninggeospatialassessmentinchinasoffshoremariculture20182022
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