Selection of mariculture sites based on ecological zoning - Nantong, China

An ecosystem approach to aquaculture (EAA) siting is crucial for the sustainable development of mariculture. In this study, we employed the Marxan model to conduct marine ecological zoning. This involved determining marine environmental and ecological carrying capacity using measured data, followed by a multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) based on geographic information system (GIS) site information on the suitability of the culture species under natural schemes. Subsequently, we integrated ecological zoning, natural schemes, and other sea usage data to create a comprehensive site selection scheme for mariculture in the Nantong Sea. The maximum mariculture area identified was 1404.14 km2, constituting 15.35% of the study area. The combined use of Marxan and GIS-MCE provides a viable technical solution for mariculture planning, supporting the advancement of sustainable mariculture.