Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (FFRC)
FFRC's mandated is to carry out applied research, dissemination of research findings, and development of production technologies and management strategies in support of the sustainable development of aquaculture and inland fisheries. This is done through rational use of natural resources, to contribute to long-term food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation and rural development, aquatic biodiversity conservation and protection of aquatic environment.
The main activities of FFRC include applied research, formal tertiary education and high learning, domestic training and extension, regular and ad hoc international training in various forms, and services with technical expertise to development projects and initiatives, etc., in aquaculture and inland fisheries and related fields.
FFRC has the technical competencies covering all essential aspects and areas in aquaculture, particularly freshwater aquaculture, and inland fisheries.
A list of the main activities of FFRC in the last two years, according to the information provided by FFRC to the panel and additional information obtained during the short mission to China, is presented in Annex 1. Activities carried out by FFRC could be categorized as follows:
1) conduct research in aquaculture and inland fisheries and related fields;
2) monitoring and reporting national aquaculture production status of staple freshwater species and tilapia, and formulation of policy advices for industry;
3) provide technical services to the public and specialised government agencies;
4) provide tertiary education and higher learning in aquaculture, fisheries and related fields;
5) offer regular and ad hoc international training in various forms;
6) dissemination of research findings through extension and information delivery.
To conclude most of the FFRC activities are relevant to FAO directly or indirectly.
FFRC is an independent legal entity affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS) under the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China. It is a public institution specialized in research, training and education and advisory services in the field of aquaculture and inland fisheries development. FFRC also physically hosts the Wuxi Fisheries College co-managed by FFRC and Nanjing Agriculture University.
FFRC’s regular funding is from the annual budgetary funds of the Chinese Government. It also receives extra-budgetary funds as grants for research projects and technical advisory services from various sources.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Xu Pao
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Aquaculture and genetics
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 30
He has MSc in aquaculture and a PhD in aquatic animal genetics. He joined the FFRC in 1985 as research assistant and became the director general of FFRC since 2001. He led many research and development projects on tilapia breeding, conservation and breeding of endangered species of Yangtze River, fishery for water quality control, ecosystem for aquaculture. He won awards and prizes from Ministry of Agriculture, provincial government etc. He was appointed as Dean of Wuxi Fisheries College of Nanjing Agricultural University and supervisor of PhD, MSc programs in aquaculture. He is senior member of Chinese society of fisheries.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Ge Xianping
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Aquaculture and aquafeed
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 30
He obtained an MSc in freshwater fishery in 2000 and a PhD in aquaculture in 2006. He joined FFRC and worked as research assistant in 1986 and became the deputy director of FFRC since 2000. He is the professor and the supervisor for MSc students of Shanghai Ocean University and PhD students of Nanjing Agricultural University. He is the Chief scientist of the National Technology System for Conventional Freshwater Fish Industries and undertakes many research and development projects on nutrition and feed for aquatic animals, health aquaculture. So far he has successfully completed 13 national and provincial level research projects as leading scientist. He won awards and prizes from the Ministry of Agriculture, provincial government etc. he is also the senior member of the Chinese society of fisheries.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Yang Jian
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Fishery resources and environment
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 25
He obtained an MSc in ecology in 1989, a PhD in life science of hydrosphere at Tokyo University in 2002. He joined FFRC in 2002 as senior researcher and became the head of Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Resources of Inland Fisheries, the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS). He is the professor and the supervisor for PhD students of Nanjing Agricultural University. He is Chief scientist of CAFS and undertake many research and development projects on ecological environment surveillance and conservation of inland fisheries, sustainable use of fishery resources, prevention and control of fishery calamities, ecologically enhancement and aquaculture. He won 4 prizes in technology progress from CAFS and published over 120 academic papers.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Fu Hongtuo
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Aquaculture and genetics
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 27
He obtained an MSc in genetics in 1988 and a PhD in genetics in 2003. He joined FFRC in 1988 as research assistant and became the head of the Dept. of Fishery Genetics and Breeding since 1996. He is professor and supervisor for PhD students of Nanjing Agricultural University. He is member of the China Fish Aboriginal and improved Variety evaluation committees and undertakes many research and development projects on the genetics and breeding of the aquatic animals including fish genetics, fish breeding, and aquaculture technologies of quality stocks, like freshwater fish, shrimp and crab. And so far he has successfully completed 16 national and provincial level research projects as leading scientist. He won awards and prizes from Ministry of Agriculture, provincial government etc. Taihu No.1, the new variety of hybrid Macrobrachium nipponense he bred, has been widely cultured in East China.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Dong Zaijie
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Aquaculture and genetics
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 26
He obtained a PhD in genetics and breeding of animals in 2015. He joined FFRC in 1989 as research assistant and became the deputy head of the Dept. of Fishery Genetics and Breeding since 2009. He is the professor and the supervisor for MSc students of the Shanghai Ocean University and Nanjing Agricultural University. He is the senior expert of National Technology System for Conventional Freshwater Fish Industries and undertakes many research and development projects on the genetics and breeding of the aquatic animals, aquaculture technology and fish breeding, etc. He has successfully completed 9 national and provincial level research projects as leading scientist. He won 5 national and ministerial level prizes for science and technology progress. Moreover, he has been to over 10 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe as technical consultant of FAO and South –South Cooperation. FFRC strain common carp, a new variety of hybrid common carp he bred, has been widely cultured across China.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Yuan Xinhua
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Aquaculture and fishery economics
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 22
He obtained anMSc in aquaculture in 1996 and a PhD in fishery economics and management in 2008. He joined FFRC in 1996 and worked as coordinator for international training, education and cooperation programs. He was titled as professor and supervisor for MSc student since 2011. He is team leader and key member of the tilapia industry economics research team and fishery development strategies, projects on tilapia production and value chain investigation and analysis, unlock the potential of aquaculture in Africa, Aquaculture and food security, poverty alleviation and nutrition, etc. He has been to Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe as technical consultant, professor and resources persons. He was also appointed as aquaculture expert of South –South Cooperation, technical advisory member of Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific, vice dean of Wuxi fisheries college of Nanjing agricultural university.
TITLE & FULL NAME: Prof. Yin Guojun
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Fish immunology
NO. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 24
He obtained an MSc in hydrobiology in 1994 and a PhD in aquaculture in 2009. He joined FFRC in 1994 as research assistant and became the deputy head of International Joint Research Laboratory for Fish Immuno-pharmacology since 2013. He is professor and supervisor for MSc students of Nanjing Agricultural University. He undertook many research and development projects on fish immunology and development of green drug for fish disease, including 9 international collaborative research projects with Hungary Research Institute for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Irrigation, Kyushu University and Rakuno Gakuen University of Japan, etc. He won 3 provincial level prizes for science and technology progress and published over 30 academic papers.