Screening and Analysis of Potential Aquaculture Spaces for Larimichthys crocea in China’s Surrounding Waters Based on Environmental Temperature Suitability

This research evaluates the potential spaces of deep offshore waters for cultivating the <i>Larimichthys crocea</i>, analyzing ocean profile temperature data from 2000 to 2022 according to the species' environmental temperature suitability. There are significant seasonal variations and differences in habitat distributions of different temperature ranges in China's surrounding waters. The range of maximum living space obtained according to the tolerance temperature shows a trend of being larger in summer and smaller in winter; and the range of viable habitat space obtained based on the suitable and optimal temperature shows a trend of being smaller in summer and larger in winter. Broad areas meeting tolerance temperatures offer broad, yet impractical, site selection options. In contrast, areas with optimal temperatures are limited, which means the availability of ideal site locations is very restricted. Regions consistently within the 20-28 °C range are best for practical site selection. Year-round suitable areas are primarily found at depths of 30 to 90 m in the southern East China Sea and the South China Sea, particularly within the 40 to 50 m depth range. Water mass like the South China Sea Surface Water and the Kuroshio Surface Water consistently maintain suitable temperatures, making them ideal for aquaculture.