China to implement fishing moratorium on high seas

BEIJING -- China will carry out voluntary fishing moratoriums in certain parts of high seas this year, said a circular released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

It said a fishing moratorium will be launched in certain parts of international waters of north Indian Ocean on a trial basis for the first time.

Fishing bans in the high seas of the southwest Atlantic and north Indian Ocean will take place between July 1 and September 30, while the fishing moratorium in east Pacific open sea will run from September 1 to November 30.

During the fishing moratorium, all Chinese distant-water fishing vessels, including squid boats and trawlers, will stop fishing in related waters, said the ministry.

Since 2020, China has implemented voluntary fishing bans on key high seas fishing grounds in the southwest Atlantic and east Pacific for two consecutive years, according to the ministry.

The fishing ban in the past two years has involved 70 Chinese distant-water fishing firms and around 1,500 squid boats and trawlers, and no illegal fishing activities were found, the ministry noted.

According to monitoring and analysis from relevant scientific research institutions, growth of squid has improved and the average squid catch per vessel has increased in the parts of high seas where the country's fishing moratorium was implemented, said an official with the ministry.