By Hasan Salahuddin

As China expands smart aquaculture and advances broader marine modernisation, Pakistan has a timely opportunity to convert its coastal strengths into higher food production, value-added exports and more resilient livelihoods. Experts say that lasting gains will depend on aligning policy execution, ecological safeguards and institutional capacity.

A Fujian provincial government report issued in March 2026 said China’s aquaculture production exceeded 63 million metric tons in 2025, with 5G-connected smart farms introduced as part of a wider modernisation push.

In Pakistan, the Planning Commission’s Highlights of the Annual Plan 2025-26 points to the ambition to harness coastal and marine resources sustainably and unlock a $100 billion blue economy by 2047. This places the focus not on potential, but on how Pakistan can build a smarter, greener and more investable coastal economy.

Speaking with Wealth Pakistan, Dr Mashooq Ali, Scientific Officer at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) in Islamabad, said Pakistan has one of the world’s most productive coastlines due to its warm marine environment, yet continues to utilise only a small portion of that potential.

He identified three priority production routes: cage and pen culture, offshore saline-water intensive shellfish farming, and the selective introduction of high-value marine fish species, preferably monosex, to reduce ecological risk. He noted that China’s experience shows that marine output can be increased through planned aquaculture systems rather than through placing additional pressure on wild fisheries.

However, he said Pakistan’s main constraint is not the lack of ideas but weak policy implementation. Referring to his 2023 cage-culture experience while serving as Assistant Director Coordination in the Fisheries Development Board, he said substantial policy work had been undertaken but follow-through remained limited.

He added that policies are often developed without sufficient input from stakeholders and academia, making them difficult to implement effectively. In this context, he said the priority should be better execution of existing policies before introducing new initiatives.

He also proposed restructuring policy around practical delivery measures, including leasing cages or coastal land to trained graduates and diploma holders rather than only to investors, developing supply-demand systems for underutilised exportable products such as shellfish, and allowing selective privatisation of coastal areas under strict regulation.

Ayesha Awan, Coordinator at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan, highlighted the need for a balanced “smart and green” transition. She said Pakistan’s 1,050-kilometre coastline, large Exclusive Economic Zone and rich marine biodiversity provide a strong foundation, but one that remains underdeveloped.

She said the key lesson from China is that blue economy growth is most effective when technology, ecology and market systems advance together. According to her, Pakistan should gradually shift from traditional open-water fishing towards integrated, technology-driven aquaculture systems, particularly Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, which recycle water, reduce waste and increase productivity per unit area.

She noted that coastal districts in Sindh and Balochistan, along with inland river systems, could support such systems for higher-value species including shrimp, pomfret and carp. She stressed that production reforms must be supported by science-based fisheries management, including Marine Protected Areas, seasonal fishing restrictions and improved vessel monitoring to ensure long-term sustainability.

She also pointed to low-input opportunities such as seaweed and bivalve aquaculture, which can support incomes while improving marine ecosystems. Awan emphasised the importance of ecosystem restoration, noting that mangroves serve as nursery grounds for fish, natural coastal buffers and key contributors to fisheries productivity.

She added that digitising the fisheries value chain through cold-chain infrastructure, mobile-based market access and IoT-based water-quality monitoring can reduce post-harvest losses and improve incomes. On the policy side, she called for a dedicated blue economy framework under federal leadership, with Sindh and Balochistan integrated into governance structures.

She also highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in financing aquaculture infrastructure and suggested incorporating fisheries modernisation into the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including joint ventures for fish-processing zones in Gwadar and other coastal areas.

She further stressed the need to strengthen institutional capacity through an improved Marine Fisheries Department, enhanced research systems, specialised training and access to green financing. “Community-centric governance is non-negotiable,” she said, adding that excluding coastal communities would undermine long-term outcomes.

Taken together, the experts indicate that adapting elements of China’s model—through smarter aquaculture, stronger institutions, ecological safeguards and community inclusion—can help Pakistan build a more productive and sustainable blue economy.

Credit: INP-WealthPk