12. Conclusion

Pathogens are widespread in marine environments, and several outbreaks have caused detrimental effects in aquaculture. Some pathogens not only harm fish species but also the ecosystems, reducing marine productivity and affecting cultural systems. Understanding the implications of these pathogens, accurately diagnosing them, and developing innovative strategies for prevention and control are crucial. China’s traditional marine pasture management pattern is already unable to meet the demands of modern marine pasture health. Probiotics and prebiotics must be implemented as soon as possible to improve modern ocean pasture management conditions. Moreover, multi‐sectoral cooperation must be strengthened, and a marine pasture operation and management mode must be established. Addressing disease is critical to establishing a more robust marine ecosystem, boosting the fish population in the ocean, and ensuring the long‐term success of marine and freshwater fisheries. Improving efforts to prevent and manage aquatic animal diseases is possible by incorporating essential policies into a comprehensive strategy.

The integration of probiotics and prebiotics into China’s marine pasture systems marks a paradigm shift from restorative engineering to microbiome‐driven aquaculture, enabling resilient, antibiotic‐free production at the ecosystem scale. By enhancing juvenile survival, suppressing pathogens, and accelerating bioremediation, these microbial tools are transforming marine ranches from static infrastructure into dynamic, self‐regulating biological platforms that are critical to achieving the Blue Granary vision by 2035. Future perspectives hinge on three interconnected frontiers:1.Technological Integration: Real‐time eDNA‐based microbiome monitoring, AI‐optimized probiotic dosing, and drone‐enabled reef seeding will enable precision microbial management across vast offshore pastures. Autonomous platforms (e.g., wind‐farm‐integrated bioreactors) could synthesize and deploy host‐specific SynComs (synthetic microbial communities) tailored to local stressors, reducing deployment costs by 60% within a decade.2.Policy Gaps: Current regulations lack marine‐specific probiotic standards, no mandatory genomic safety screening, efficacy thresholds, or environmental impact assessments for open‐water use. Establishing a National Marine Microbiome Framework under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, aligned with the 14th 5‐Year Plan, is essential to prevent mislabeling, ensure strain traceability, and incentivize adoption through carbon‐credit‐linked subsidies.3.Research Needs: Priority must be given to field‐scale, multi‐year trials in operational ranches (e.g., Rongcheng and Dalian) to validate long‐term impacts on biodiversity, gene flow, and trophic cascades. Developing native, multi‐functional consortia (e.g., Bacillus + Phaeobacter + nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacteria) and exploring paraprobiotics and postbiotics for reef applications will close efficacy gaps in high‐salinity, low‐retention environments.

China stands at the threshold of exporting a global microbial blueprint for ocean restoration. With targeted investment in strain banks, digital twin‐ranching models, and public–private microbial alliances, probiotics and prebiotics will not only sustain aquaculture but also engineer the aquatic ecosystem.