Scott No: 2386-89
Serial number: 1992-4
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: April 15, 1992
Designers: Wang Huming
Size: 40*27mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Offshore Aquaculture, catalog number 1992-4, was issued on April 15, 1992. It consists of four stamps, produced using the photogravure process. The stamps measure 40×27 mm, with a perforation gauge of 11 degrees. Each sheet contains 50 stamps. The stamps were designed by Wang Huming and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works.

Thematic Focus of the Set

This set features four mainstream offshore aquaculture species in China. In the 1990s, offshore fishing resources declined, and mariculture became an important way to obtain protein from the sea and rationally develop the blue territory. The stamps feature four representative aquaculture products: fish, shrimp, shellfish, and algae. They showcase the development achievements of China's mariculture industry, promote the concept of stock enhancement and scientific utilization of marine resources, and combine aquatic product education, allowing stamps to present the appearance of blue ocean agriculture and animal husbandry.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Red Sea Bream

The main subject is the red sea bream, commonly known as Jiaji fish. Its body color is reddish and vivid. It is a traditional precious marine economic fish, widely artificially cultivated along the coasts of northern and southern China. Its flesh is delicious, and its economic value is high.

Chinese Shrimp

The image depicts the extended form of the Chinese shrimp. It is mainly produced in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea and is a landmark shrimp species in China's mariculture. It was once an important aquatic product for export earnings and is a representative species of offshore shrimp aquaculture.

Zhikong Scallop

The image shows two zhikong scallops, one large and one small. The shell surface has clear textures. It is an important cultivated shellfish along the northern coast. Its adductor muscle, when processed, becomes dried scallop, a well-known delicacy of the sea. The aquaculture industry is mature.

Kelp

The image shows spreading clusters of kelp, also known as kunbu. It is a large brown alga. China's kelp aquaculture scale ranks among the world's highest. It can be eaten and also used to extract industrial raw materials such as alginate and iodine, with wide applications.

Artistic and Design Features

The set uses an airbrush technique, with soft and delicate color transitions. The background is largely left blank, drawing on the Chinese painting concept of "treating white as black," removing the complex seabed environment and focusing on highlighting the main products. Each stamp is marked with the species' Latin scientific name, combining educational value. The four stamps correspond to fish, shrimp, shellfish, and algae in sequence, with a rich and complete arrangement of categories. It is a simple and realistic work in the category of marine aquaculture stamps.