NOTE 7 – COST METHOD INVESTMENT

At September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, cost method investment amounted to $3,305,109 and $3,421,031, respectively. The investment represents the Company’s subsidiary, Pingtan Fishing’s minority interest in Fujian Pingtan Rural-Commercial Bank Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. (“Pingtan Rural-Commercial Bank’’), a private financial institution. Pingtan Fishing completed its registration as a shareholder on October 17, 2012 and paid RMB 21 million (approximately $3.3 million) to subscribe 5% of the common stock of Pingtan Rural-Commercial Bank. Pingtan Fishing held 15,113,250 shares and accounted for 4.8 % investment in the total equity investment of the bank as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014. These shares were as collateral for the Company’s long term loan amounting to nil and $2.3 million at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

In according to ASC 325, Pingtan Fishing uses the cost method of accounting to record its investment since Pingtan Fishing does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financing activities of Pingtan Rural-Commercial Bank. Long-term investment for which there are no quoted market prices, a reasonable estimate of fair value could not be made without incurring excessive costs. The Company monitors its investment in the non-marketable security and will recognize, if ever existing, a loss in value which is deemed to be other than temporary. The Company determined that there was no impairment on this investment as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014.