China's aquaculture and the world's wild fisheries

China is the world's largest producer, consumer, processor, and exporter of finfish and shellfish (defined here as "fish"), and its fish imports are steadily rising. China produces more than one-third of the global fish supply, largely from its ever-expanding aquaculture sector, as most of its domestic fisheries are overexploited. Aquaculture accounts for ∼72% of its reported domestic fish production, and China alone contributes >60% of global aquaculture volume and roughly half of global aquaculture value.

How China develops its aquaculture sector—and whether such development can relieve pressure on wild fisheries—are key questions for the future of the oceans. Here, we characterize and quantify the connections between China's aquaculture production and wild fisheries.