China's distant-water squid fishing sees intelligent upgrade

An intelligent squid jigging machine, arguably the first of this kind in the world, was put into sea trial on June 8 aboard China's first distant-water fisheries resource survey vessel Songhang, according to its developers.

Jointly developed by Shanghai Ocean University and CNFC Zhoushan Overseas Fisheries Co Ltd, the equipment will provide core support for precise fishing and the reduction of non-productive operation time in distant-water squid fishing.

The trial leveraged the interdisciplinary strengths of Shanghai Ocean University in fisheries and information engineering, featuring a powerful collaboration between teams led by Professors Chen Xinjun and Cao Shouqi.

Unlike traditional squid fishing equipment, this smart machine integrates intelligent monitoring modules such as catch detection and escape behavior recognition, enabling real-time capture of dynamic signals when squid bite or escape the hook. Also, it replicates manual fishing operations such as line pulling and jigging, using intelligent algorithms to simulate optimal fishing rhythms.

Chen, head of the project's technical team at the university, pointed out that traditional squid fishing relies on crew members' experience to judge the timing of a bite, resulting in high rates of idle waiting and operational errors. The prolonged periods of non-productive operation not only affect catch yields but also increase the physical strain on crew members.

Through precise sensing and adaptive control, the intelligent squid jigging machine can significantly reduce idle time while decreasing reliance on human experience, providing a standardized and intelligent solution for distant-water squid fishing operations.

"This is not merely the deployment of a single piece of equipment, but also a vivid epitome of China's transition toward 'Deep Blue, Smart Fishing' in the distant-water fishing sector," Chen, who expects to further optimize the equipment to contribute to sustainable development and efficient utilization of fishery resources, said.