On July 23, in the vast blue waters of Yantai's Sishili Bay, Bian Xiaodong, an associate researcher at the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, led his team in a comprehensive study of the spatiotemporal dynamics of biological resources and environmental factors in the waters surrounding the "Geng Hai 1" marine ranch complex platform. Through continuous environmental surveys and data analysis, his team compared biological resource levels before and after the construction of the "Geng Hai 1" ecological artificial reef, evaluating the effectiveness of resource conservation and restoration efforts.
Recent surveys over the past two years show that during July and August, large numbers of economically valuable juvenile fish such as mackerel and black seabream frequently appear near the "Geng Hai 1" platform. Bian noted that this indicates the platform, through years of sustained efforts to build a complete life-cycle system for marine organisms, has become highly attractive to juvenile fish during specific seasons, playing a positive role in the conservation and enhancement of marine fishery resources.
Backed by the Shandong Modern Marine Industry-Talent Integration Development Innovation Alliance, "Geng Hai 1" has engaged in collaborative research and development with multiple universities and research institutes, with Bian's team being one such partner. This collaboration is creating a positive cycle of mutual benefit—the platform provides an ideal real-world testing ground for scientific research, while research outcomes continuously contribute to increased production and revenue, improved ecological conditions in surrounding waters, and the synergetic enhancement of economic, social, and ecological benefits.
Addressing challenges such as insufficient talent reserves in emerging marine industries, inadequate coordination between marine industry and talent resources across the province, and limited channels for commercializing scientific research results, the Provincial Department of Natural Resources has implemented the Marine Industry-Talent Integration Enhancement Initiative as a key top-priority project. The goal is to break through bottlenecks in marine sector talent development and elevate the overall effectiveness of industry-talent integration.
To optimize the mechanisms for industry-talent integrated development, in October 2024, the department guided the establishment of the Shandong Modern Marine Industry-Talent Integration Development Innovation Alliance. To date, the alliance has attracted 58 marine-related enterprises and research institutions, including Shandong Marine Group and the Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, bringing together over 50 high-level professionals. Centered on the province's strategy for a marine powerhouse, the alliance focuses on key sectors such as marine equipment, fisheries, marine biomedicine, and marine ecology, precisely aligning talent chains with industrial chains and creating a collaborative innovation framework and a two-way empowerment platform.
Developing talent service platforms is another critical pillar of the department's enhancement initiative. These platforms work in tandem with the alliance to efficiently connect industry and talent resources. Ren Chunyu, a second-level researcher at the Shandong Provincial Oceanic Administration, explained that in 2025, with support from special funds for high-quality development of the marine services industry, the administration is backing the construction of an "O2O Marine Industry-Talent Comprehensive Service Smart Platform." This project, anchored by the China Ocean Talent Network as its core online hub, offers full-service, end-to-end support—covering talent attraction, cultivation, retention, services, transformation, and investment—with over 500 marine-focused organizations already registered, complementing the alliance's organizational coordination.
The Qingdao Marine Talent Innovation Park serves as the key physical site for the China Ocean Talent Network project. In March of this year, Qingdao Haiweita Biotechnology Co., Ltd. was established in the park. Haiweita specializes in the extraction, purification, and synthesis of marine bioactive substances. In its early stages, the company faced considerable challenges in terms of funding needs, market connections, and talent recruitment, said Shao Yan, the company's operations director. In response, the park's staff quickly provided targeted assistance, helping the company secure bank loans and connect with marine biology experts.
Wang Bin, chairman of the operating company of Qingdao Marine Talent Innovation Park, noted that the park regularly hosts events such as Marine Talent Weeks and project roadshows, developing a model of "attracting talent through talent, driving industry through talent, and integrating industry with talent." This approach has facilitated the settlement and growth of numerous high-level talent innovation and entrepreneurship projects, with over 120 enterprises now located in the park, more than half of them high-tech marine companies.
Looking ahead, the Provincial Department of Natural Resources will continue to leverage the Shandong Modern Marine Industry-Talent Integration Development Innovation Alliance, enhancing marine talent promotion mechanisms, advancing the construction of major marine platforms, and optimizing the talent service ecosystem. These efforts aim to foster a virtuous cycle where industry cultivates talent and talent thrives through industry, strengthening and expanding key marine sectors and providing robust support for the province's high-quality marine economic development.