Man in Zhejiang uses IoT technology to help fish farmers march toward prosperity

Shen Jie, a man born in 1980s in Huzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province, has leveraged the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to help fish farmers march toward prosperity.

Photo shows Shen Jie at a fish farm. (Photo courtesy of Qiu Dongdong)

Shen, who has a PhD, has taken the lead in developing the world's first standard reference-architecture for the Internet of Things (IoT) and has been presented with the IEC 1906 Award by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

In 2016, Shen resigned and returned to his hometown in Nanxun district, Huzhou, to help modernize the fishing industry.

"In the past, fish farmers relied on experience to raise fish most of the time and had to patrol the pond late at night," Shen said.

Freshwater aquaculture is a pillar industry in Nanxun district. Shen's family also raises fish. Once, all fish in a fish pond of his family died overnight causing him to decide to help fish farmers avoid similar risks and transform the labor-intensive industry.

Shen believed that the IoT technology offered a solution. He and his team went to rural areas to understand fish farmers' needs, installed equipment for them, created a smart fish farming platform, and provided them with relevant services. Gradually, fish farmers saw benefits from the application of digital technologies.

Shen finally established an IoT platform that guarantees the 24-hour monitoring of fish ponds, enabling fish farmers to remotely control their aerators to provide oxygen for fish via a mobile phone app.

In addition, Shen and his team have been creating a digital platform that integrates fish farmers and e-commerce platforms, including Hema Fresh, Dingdong Maicai, and Wumart, in recent years.

"Before catching fish, we will detect them to ensure the quality. We will sort and sell fish according to relevant specifications," Shen said, adding that more fish ponds have been built to guarantee a stable supply of fish.

The digital platform has helped fish farmers in Huzhou smooth the channels between the production and sales of aquatic products and raise sales prices.

"The digital transformation of the fishing industry requires cooperation among local governments, village collectives, fish farmers, enterprises, financial institutions, and consumers," Shen said, introducing that his team is building a digital collaborative service network to promote the green and sound development of the fishing industry.

"We hope to continue to increase the added value of aquatic products and better coordinate the production and sales of aquatic products," he said.