Analysis of driving factors and suitability assessment for raft aquaculture in the Northern China seas using remote sensing data

Abstract

Remote sensing technology and its derived products have enabled large-scale suitability assessments for marine aquaculture, critically important for ensuring the safety of marine aquaculture products and the sustainable development of the marine aquaculture industry in China. In this study, multi-source remote sensing data and Geographical Detector analysis were employed to quantitatively evaluate the driving factors of raft aquaculture in the northern maritime regions of China. Additionally, an evaluation indicator system for raft aquaculture suitability was developed, and the suitability of raft aquaculture in 2022 was evaluated. Furthermore, the suitability of raft aquaculture under three development strategies was discussed. The results are as follows: (1) Socio-infrastructure factors rather than marine environment factors are the predominant drivers shaping the spatial pattern of raft aquaculture in the study area. (2) In 2022, 66.83% of the raft aquaculture areas were located in regions deemed suitable for farming, 29.73% were in moderately suitable areas, and only 3.44% were in areas unsuitable for aquaculture. (3) When further considering the marine environment factors, the sea area suitable for raft aquaculture does not significantly decrease, indicating that there is a certain degree of planning adjustment space in the layout of raft aquaculture within the study area. This research provides insights to inform the healthy and sustainable development of the marine farming industry in the northern waters of China.