Fishery development protects resources

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Shandong has the longest coastline among China's provinces. People in the region are now taking full advantage of its marine resources to improve the local economy.

And measures are also being implemented to protect its resources.

The shabby sampan isn't much to look at But the waters in which it surfs are breeding some delicious seafood worth millions of yuan.

Scallops, oysters, abalone, and sea urchins are the major products for mariculture in the Weihai area.

Local Fisherman, Shandong Province, said, "This is not the best season for shell fish. Otherwise you would see lot more here. They are all very expensive in the market."

Nowadays, intensive management has replaced single family operations in Weihai's mariculture. Fishermen have been changing their role to businessmen.

And Tang Houyun is the most successful.

Twenty years ago, Tang started breeding sea cucumbers. The small business eventually turned into a publicly listed company, the largest private oceanic industrial firm in Shandong Province.

Tang has retired. The company he left has diversified its business to include distant fishing, mariculture, biotechnology, import and export, and ship building.

The firm's products are sold to Japan, Europe, and North America. Homey Group has also become a household name.

Tang Houyun, Founder of Homey Group, said, "Fishing is not the only way of life for us who live at the seashore. Comprehensive utilization of ocean resources is what we are doing now. We are facing an unprecedentedly big market, and the demand is diversified. That means we have diversified our products to meet the demand. I have passed the business to my sons, but I just don't rest. I am doing as much as I can to help the company become even better."