Work has begun in Qingdao on a research project to boost the development of the country's mariculture industry.

The project focuses on the cause and prevention of epidemic diseases in artificially bred shrimp and fish, as the two species have great economic and academic value, Song Linsheng, a researcher with the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said on Wednesday.

Built with an investment of 36 million yuan ($5.7 million), the five-year project will involve scientists from 12 universities and institutes.

(China Daily 02/16/2012 page4)