Background Sciaenidae is economic fish with high market value recognition, including Bahaba taipingensis, Larimichthys crocea and Larimichthys polyactis, etc. Due to the high mortality rate of Sciaenidae after leaving the water, it is difficult to keep them alive, and most of them are sold as chilled commodities.

Objective To enhance the survival rate of naturally harvested Sciaenidae and accelerate the development of aquaculture for these fish species, the study aimed to identify new species for farming, beyond L. crocea. This initiatively seeks to inject new vigor into the aquatic seed industry in Fujian Province.

Methods The study used improved pound nets to harvest L. polyactis, L. crocea and other kinds of Sciaenidae in the sea area around Ningde City. And survival experiments with Sciaenidae in concrete ponds were carried out.

Results The results of the experiment indicated that the survival rates of catching and transporting could be improved by selecting a period with relatively flat tides, slowing down the netting process, and utilizing specialized land-based transport and collection equipment. The mortality rate of L. crocea and L. polyactis is particularly high during the first 0−72 hours after catching and landing, emphasizing the importance of preserving life during this critical period. The survival rate of L. crocea ranged from 66.03% to 87.45% during neap tides, which was significantly higher than the 20.63% observed during large tides. In contrast, the survival rate of L. polyactis was 86.90% in neap tides, compared to only 44.44% in spring tides. Additionally, the 7-day survival rate for some Sciaenidae weighing 100−150 g was between 26.67% and 87.72%, while those weighing over 150 g had a 7-day survival rate was between 66.67% and 91.67%.

Conclusion The findings of this study help to safeguard the survival transportation and domestication survival rate of commercially available fresh wild L. polyactis, L. crocea, Nibea albiflora and other fish. It can provide reference for the development of scientific research work such as artificial preservation and breeding of other Sciaenidae.