ROME, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's experience in aquaculture innovation, fisheries governance and ecological conservation drew attention from experts attending the 37th Session of the Committee on Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which concluded in Rome on Friday.
The FAO Committee on Fisheries is a major intergovernmental forum for global fisheries and aquaculture. Participants said technological innovation, stronger governance and international cooperation are becoming increasingly important as demand for aquatic products grows amid mounting resource and environmental constraints.
Aquaculture was a major focus of the discussions. Zhang Wenbo, an associate professor at Shanghai Ocean University, said technologies including the Internet of Things, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly being applied to aquaculture production and regulation in China, helping make the sector greener and more efficient.
Eduardo M. Leano, director general of the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, said the Asia-Pacific region accounts for about 90 percent of global aquaculture production but faces growing constraints on land and water resources.
"What we need is not just further development, but a transformation of the aquaculture sector as a whole," he said.
Leano said China's experience in AI, smart aquaculture and deep-sea aquaculture can be useful to other countries, provided technologies are adapted to local conditions and supported by training and capacity building.
Digitalization was another major theme, particularly in efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
China became a Party to the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures in April 2025. The agreement is the first binding international accord specifically targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Matthew Camilleri, FAO Senior Fisheries Officer and PSMA Secretary, told Xinhua that digital tools are increasingly important in helping port states assess risks before vessels enter port and concentrate limited inspection resources on higher-risk targets.
"Digitalization is not an end in itself," Camilleri said, adding that its real value lies in providing reliable information, improving risk assessment and strengthening cooperation among countries.
China's ecological conservation experience was also highlighted through a themed display on the 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River. Since 2021, China has implemented the ban in key waters of the river basin as part of efforts to restore aquatic biodiversity and protect the river ecosystem.
Benjamin Bockarie of Sierra Leone, who studies fisheries and aquaculture management at University College Cork in Ireland, said China's experience in recirculating aquaculture systems and AI-based monitoring can be valuable for developing countries.
"Building the capacity of countries, helping them develop and localizing Chinese technologies so that they can adapt to local circumstances would solve many problems," he said. ■