Abstract: The genetic polymorphism in populations of the Chinese shrimp,Penaeus chinensis,along the coast of China was examined with mitochondrial DNA analysis.A portion of the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) genes from 17 individuals,five from each of samples caught off Changdao,Yantai,Qingdao,and also for two individuals from a cultured stock sampled from Ningbo was amplified with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced.Out of 523 nucleotide sites,37 nucleotide positions (7.07%) were variable and 17 haplotypes were found.Molecular phylogenetic tree constructed by UPGMA method suggested that there were some genetic differential among different geographic populations of Chinese shrimp.Changdao population and Yantai population had a closer genetic relationship.The second was Ningbo population.Qingdao populations diverged to be as one relatively independent branch.