I. What the Sector Covers
1.1 Scale and what is included
China has led the world in aquatic-product output for more than 30 years. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs puts 2023 output at about 71 million tons, of which farmed output is about 80%. Smart fishery uses IoT, AI, and big data for water monitoring, feeding, disease warning, fishing-boat supervision, and product traceability. It covers ponds, cages, factory farms, and marine ranches.
The 14th Five-Year Plan for National Fishery Development calls for a more digital fishery. The Plan for Digital Agriculture and Rural Development lists smart fishery as a priority. The link ties water-quality sensors, aerators, feeders, and cameras so a pond can be watched and controlled from elsewhere.
1.2 Rules and standards
The Technical Specification for Aquaculture IoT sets how these systems are built. NB-IoT and 4G fit ponds and offshore sites that are far apart. Fishing boats also need BeiDou positioning and AIS (Automatic Identification System) to meet maritime supervision.
II. Where Farms Lose Fish
2.1 Water quality and disease
Dissolved oxygen, pH, and ammonia nitrogen decide how many fish survive. A person testing the water a few times a day is late. Low oxygen or a turn in water quality can kill a pond. Sensors that alarm and start the aerator cut that risk.
2.2 Feed thrown by habit, and the power it wastes
Feeding by feel overfeeds (waste and pollution) or underfeeds (slower growth). A connected feeder changes the amount from growth stage, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen, and raises feed conversion.
2.3 A boat outside the public network
Fishing grounds often have a weak public network. BeiDou short messages and satellite links fill that gap. Position and track support safety supervision and rescue.
III. Where the Link Is Used
3.1 Water quality tied to the aerator
Sensors for dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, ammonia nitrogen, and turbidity sit in the pond and report over NB-IoT or 4G. When dissolved oxygen drops under the threshold, the aerator starts.
3.2 Feeding on a plan
The feeder takes a plan over the network and changes amount and frequency from water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and growth stage. It can be run remotely or on a schedule.
3.3 Cameras and an early look at disease
Underwater and surface cameras watch how the fish move and feed. Image recognition helps spot disease early. The footage supports a remote diagnosis and a consult with a specialist.
IV. Numbers and Where It Has Been Used
The numbers: a dissolved-oxygen sensor covers 0–20 mg/L at ±0.3 mg/L; pH covers 0–14 at ±0.1; ammonia nitrogen covers 0–10 mg/L. A pond typically gets 1–2 water-quality sets, 1–2 aerators, and 1 feeder. Offshore cages and deep-sea farms need 4G or satellite, and BeiDou short messages carry boat position and emergency traffic. Water quality usually reports every 5–15 minutes. Dissolved oxygen under 3 mg/L starts the aerator.
Where it has been used: a freshwater farm of 200 mu and 20 ponds put in 20 sensor sets and 40 aerators on NB-IoT. Tying the aerator to dissolved oxygen cut hypoxia events by 90%, and feed conversion rose by about 15%. A marine-ranch workboat on 4G plus satellite can be run remotely for cabin water, feeding, and video, and management cost per boat fell by about 30%.
V. Who Builds It, and Which Rules Apply
The chain runs from sensor and equipment makers through the IoT platform to farms and companies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' Technical Specification for Aquaculture IoT sets the build. BeiDou positioning on fishing boats follows the Installation Requirements for AIS Equipment on Fishing Vessels. Deep-sea and offshore farms can follow the Technical Guidelines for Marine Ranch Construction.
VI. Terms
- Dissolved oxygen (DO): oxygen in the water. Under 2 mg/L, fish run short of it.
- Ammonia nitrogen: ammoniacal nitrogen in the water. Too much is toxic to fish.
- AIS: Automatic Identification System, used for a vessel's position and for avoiding a collision.
VII. Where It Is Heading
Deep-sea farming raises the bar for cages and workboats. AI and vision identify fish, read behavior, and warn of disease. Traceability and brand use blockchain plus IoT for the full path of a product. Carbon-sink fishery accounts for carbon held by shellfish and algae.
VIII. Summary
Smart fishery ties water-quality sensors, aerators, feeders, and cameras so a farm can watch the water, control equipment, and maintain it from elsewhere. NB-IoT and 4G fit ponds that are scattered and short of power.
SimtoLink supplies NB-IoT and 4G SIM cards and communication modules for this work, including low-power and solar-powered sites, so a farm can run on the numbers instead of a notebook.