The State Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture was established through the reorganization of the former State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, which was the main body, together with the relevant strengths of the Institute of Oceanology and the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The reorganization was completed in January 2025, and the laboratory was officially renamed the " State Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture."

The State Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture is oriented toward the major strategic need of "food security and effective protein supply." Its work focuses on the key priority area of "aquatic breeding" in agriculture.

The laboratory addresses prominent problems and challenges in aquaculture, such as genetic degradation of varieties, frequent disease outbreaks, and feed–grain competition. It targets the major scientific question of the genetic mechanisms underlying the formation and coupling of important traits in aquatic animals.

To this end, it focuses on precision breeding frontier technologies, including whole-genome selection and reconstruction, gene editing, sex control, controllable sterility, and surrogate reproduction. The goal is to create breakthrough new varieties and achieve self-reliance and controllability of biological resources.

The laboratory also aims to build a green and efficient precision aquaculture technology system and to establish a world-class platform for scientific and technological innovation and a highland for talent cultivation. Ultimately, it seeks to promote the green and efficient sustainable development of China's aquaculture and to provide irreplaceable scientific and technological support for ensuring the effective supply of high-quality protein in China.