The　genus　Vibrio　contains　a　diverse　group　of　heterotrophic　bacteria,　which　are　members　of　ubiquitous　and　abundant　microbial　communities　in　coastal　ecosystems.　Vibrio　has　been　frequently　found　in　a　wide　range　of　marine　environments　either　by　employing　Vibrio-specific　16S　rRNA　sequencing　or　culturing　methods.　A　combination　of　molecular　and　cultivation-dependent　methods　was　developed　to　more　precisely　discriminate　between　different　members　of　the　genus　Vibrio　in　seawater.　This　newly　developed　assay　was　subsequently　applied　to　characterize　Vibrio　community　composition　in　surface　water　at　18　mariculture　sites.　It　Substantially　improved　the　taxonomic　resolution　of　Vibrio　species　when　compared　to　traditional　16S　rRNA　analysis.　Our　qPCR　and　cultivation　analyses　revealed　that　average　Vibrio　abundance　(Vibrio　16S　rRNA　gene　copy　numbers:　3.46　×　106　to　6.70　×　106　copies　L−1)　and　live　cell　numbers　(5.65　×　104–5.75　×　105　cfu　mL−1)　are　significantly　related　to　pH.　Total　bacteria　and　Vibrio-specific　16S　rRNA　metabarcode　sequenceing　resulted　in　a　total　of　10　and　32　operational　taxonomic　units　(OTUs),　respectively,　and　15　Vibrio　species　were　identified　by　targeted　cultivation　of　Vibrio　strains,　with　Vibrio　fortis　and　V.　brasiliensis　dominating　in　the　mariculture　areas.　The　purpose　of　this　study　was　to　combine　several　analytical　methods　to　improve　current　sequence-based　Vibrio　community　surveys,　and　to　prove　for　the　effectiveness　of　this　methodological　approach　comprehensively　testing　for　Vibrio　dynamics　in　different　coastal　environments.　©　2021　The　Author(s)