In the wave of Industry 4.0, as a national strategic industry, distant-water fisheries is facing the challenge of transformation. This study aims to explore how to use the concept of Industry 4.0 and technological innovation to promote the high-quality development of distant-water fisheries, ensuring sustainable use of fishery resources and the coordinated development of social economy and Marine ecology. By providing an overview of the development of Industry 4.0, this paper analyzes the current status and existing issues in the technological advancement of China's distant-water fisheries. Subsequently, the concept of distant-water fisheries 4.0 is proposed, and its core characteristics are elaborated. Finally, the countermeasures and suggestions are put forward for the development of distant-water fisheries 4.0 science and technology, and puts forward the technical framework and research content of oceanic squid fishery 4.0 as example. The existing problems were identified, and targeted measures and suggestions were proposed. Research suggests that distant-water fisheries 4.0 aims to deeply optimize distant-water fisheries production processes, enhance the production efficiency of all links of the industrial chain, ensure the quality of aquatic products, rational utilization of fishery resources, realize scientific conservation and management of fishery resources and promote high-quality development of distant-water fisheries by integrating advanced technologies such as information technology, big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. To achieve this goal, the study suggests that strengthening investment in scientific and technological innovation and research and development, promoting the construction of information infrastructure, strengthening talent cultivation and international cooperation are needed which are guided by the concept of pelagic fisheries 4.0 in order to promote the transformation and upgrading of China's distant-water fisheries, and promote the construction of new quality productivity of distant-water fishery.