Recently, the National Marine Science and Technology Innovation Conference was held in Beijing. During the meeting, Decision of the State Oceanic Administration on Awarding the “Lifelong Dedication to Ocean” Memorial Medals to Liu Guangding and Other 29 Senior Academicians Who have Dedicated Their Lives to the Oceans was read out. YSFRI academician Zhao Fazhen was awarded this honor. The award aims at highlighting and carrying forward the distinguished contributions of senior academicians and experts in promoting marine science and technology innovation, and to encourage China’s marine science and technology workers and scientists to follow their example, keeping the tradition and forging ahead, and making our own contributions to marine science and technology development.

Prof. Zhao Fazhen is an aquaculture scientist and one of the pioneers in Chinese shrimp farming industrialization. He has made a long-term commitment to the research on aquaculture theory and technology, mainly engaged in the research on shrimp experimental ecology as well as its science and technology, expounded on the biology and ecological characteristics of early developmental stage of Chinese shrimp, laying a theoretical foundation for the technological innovation of shrimp artificial seedling rearing. He led his research team to establish the Chinese shrimp factory-wide artificial breeding technology system, obtaining a highly efficient, stable, large scale seed production and providing technical support for the development of China's shrimp breeding industry. He also put forward China's shrimp production technology which is suitable for Chinese situation, promoting the shrimp aquaculture industry, and making outstanding contributions for China to become the world's largest shrimp producing country. In recent years, he has guided and participated in major research projects such as the Agricultural Science and Technology Spanning Program, National Major Technological Projects, pushing the Chinese shrimp farming through “another outset”.