Spatial-temporal differentiation and convergence analysis of marine fishery innovation ability in China

The marine fishery innovation ability (MFIA) is a powerful engine for China's marine fishery transformation and development under the background of the "new normal" of economy. It is of great significance to scientifically understand the spatial-temporal differentiation and evolution mechanism of MFIA. In this paper, an evaluation indicator system for the MFIA was constructed from four aspects of input, output, environment and potential of innovation. On this basis, the levels and spatial-temporal differentiation of MFIA were examined with panel data from 11 coastal provinces and cities in China during 2009-2019 with entropy method and Dagum Gini coefficient. Furthermore, the characteristics of convergence in three regions of Bohai Rim, Yangtze River Delta and Pan-Pearl River Delta in China were analyzed with a spatial econometric model. The main results obtained are as follows: (1) The overall level of China's MFIA was low with large spatial differences among 11 coastal provinces and cities. (2) The main source of overall regional difference was intensity of transvariation even though the overall regional difference was in a state of fluctuation. The sources of overall regional difference from large to small were intensity of transvariation, intra-regional differences and inter-regional differences. (3) There were characteristics of absolute and conditional p convergences in 11 provinces and cities and in the three regions of China. From the national perspective, the important factors promoting the convergence of MFIA were the economic development level, education funds, foreign trade competitiveness and the financial development level. The influence of basic conditions of marine fisheries and the marketization level on the convergence of MFIA was not obvious. The number of aquatic technology promotion institutions exhibited a negative influence on convergence of MFIA. From the regional perspective, the factors that affected the convergence of MFIA differed among the three regions. The research framework and results could provide reference for examining the status quo of differences in MFIA and improving the overall level of MFIA in China.