SRI employs over 80 R&D staff in the 4 research divisions: Salt Chemical Technique Research Center, Brine Biology Research Center, China National Sea-lake salt Industry Standardization and Inspection Center and China National Sea-lake Salt Industry Scientific and Technical Information Center. The R&D centers are involved in many kinds of R&D projects on salt chemical techniques, live food and artificial diets for aquaculture (microalgae, rotifers and Artemia); provides advanced technical and informative service to salt industry all over China and many local shrimp & fish hatcheries and farms. Over 400 R&D projects including some national key projects and international co-operation projects have been completed in SRI since it was established.

The research on brine biotechnology started in 1987 through the UNDP project “Biotechnology in solar salt fields”. This early study mainly focused on the biological management of the solar saltworks in the Bohai Bay and the utilization of Artemia cysts and biomass in local aquaculture. It laid a good foundation for the future brine biotechnological studies in SRI. In 1991 a joint research project with the Artemia Reference Center at Ghent University (coordinator) and the Universities of Wales, Swansea (UK) and Milan (Italy) was initiated with funding from the European Union. The main focus of this joint project was the identification and characterization of Chinese Artemia strains for use in aquaculture. This project was very successful as important contributions were made to the fundamental knowledge of Artemia biology, ecology, as well as in relation to the selection and use of specific brine shrimp strains for use in aquaculture. The Artemia franciscana introductions in solar salt production have succeeded through the VLIR-ABOS project “Development and application of new techniques for improved Artemia, shrimp and salt production in PR China” (1993-1996). The food value of various local Artemia sources in larviculture of shrimp, crab and marine fish have been tested in this project. From 1996, further studies mainly focused on Artemia strains with special characteristics (Tibet, Inner Mongolia) through 2 joint projects, entitled ‘Further exploration, characterization and utilization of the natural brine shrimp Artemia resources in the People’s Republic of China’ (1996-1999) and ‘Study of the biodiversity of Chinese Artemia strains and their possible application in research and aquaculture (2000-2001). Except for Artemia researches, several national R&D projects focusing on high density rotifer culture technique and rotifer resting eggs production, artificial diets and use of cultivated micro-algae (Duneliella salina) in human food, have been also elaborated through SRI’s research program. Some of the achievements have been applied successfully in the local shrimp & fish hatcheries and farms and the food industry.

The research on crab Eriocheir sinesis started from the middle of 1990’s in SRI through the National Key Project. The food value of different Chinese Artemia strains, decapsulated Artemia Cysts were studied on crab larvae from zoea I to meglopa stage. The different formulations of artificial diets based on Artemia biomass were also tested. Except for the crab larvae rearing, SRI has also experienced on shrimp(Penaeus Chinensis),turbot (scophthalmus maximums), flounder (Paralichtys olivaceus) and other tropical marine fish larval rearing techniques through the close and lone-term cooperation with a local modern hatchery

SRI has established a long-term cooperative relationship with domestic institutions, local factories, hatcheries and farms, as well as with universities and institutions abroad. Based on its solid R&D capability, and also through the extensive cooperation and exchange on information and techniques, SRI R&D staff became well-experienced in the various fields related to brine biotechnology and salt industry. This will continue to play a very important role in SRI’s future R&D.