Evaluation of green development in mariculture: The case of Chinese oyster aquaculture

Green development, which is to achieve economic growth and environmental improvement under the principle of harmony between people and nature, has become the mainstream of the world economy, and green development assessment of the industry is becoming increasingly urgent to achieve sustainable development goals. Combining the concept of green development and the characteristics of the mariculture industry, this study establishes a mariculture evaluation system of “yield & area + green economy + green progress”. Firstly, yield and area data are analyzed separately to reflect the green production of mariculture. Secondly, the evaluation index assesses the green growth of the industry in terms of green economy and green progress, the indices are constructed using the calculated relative indicators, weighted using the average of entropy and CRITIC, and the scores are converted into percentages using the efficacy coefficient method. Thirdly, apply the obstacle degree model to analyze the impact of each indicator, so as to identify the key factors affecting the score, and put forward targeted suggestions for improvement. Then, the evaluation system is applied to compare the green development levels of oyster aquaculture in six major regions in China. The results show that the trend of oyster aquaculture areas in China from 2011 to 2020 is largely influenced by local government policies, and the increase in yield has a positive effect in reducing carbon dioxide concentration and purifying seawater quality, but the disposal of waste by-products has become a serious problem for the development of the industry. Fujian has the highest overall evaluation score, benefiting from the largest domestic market share, while other regions have different strengths in terms of aquaculture technology promotion, yield growth, or oyster production levels. The factors that hinder the green development of each region vary, including low economic income, excessive area growth, and industrial inattention. In a word, Chinese oyster aquaculture needs to pay special attention to the problem of high production and low efficiency brought about by rapid expansion.