White dolphins protected off coast of Xiamen

Protection areas

Despite local fishermen fostering profound respect and a strong sense of guardianship and protection for Chinese white dolphins due to the long-standing belief that they symbolize tranquil seas and a bountiful catch, coastal development projects in Xiamen at the end of the last century encroached upon their habitats.

"In the 1980s and 1990s, the development of ports, waterways, shipping and nearshore aquaculture, along with the deteriorating water quality, led to a significant decrease in the population of Chinese white dolphins, making it increasingly rare to observe these creatures playing in the city's waters," Xin said.

In response, Xiamen took steps to address the problem by introducing vital legal protections and issuing the country's inaugural regulation for the safeguarding of the Chinese white dolphin population and their habitats.

At the same time, the city set up China's first provincial-level nature reserve for the Chinese white dolphin in 1997, which served as a model for areas in Guangdong and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to establish their own nature reserves for the mammal.

Drawing on previous efforts, the provincial-level nature reserve for the Chinese white dolphin, together with the existing nature reserves for lancelets and egrets, was upgraded and merged into the Rare Marine Species National Nature Reserve, dedicated to the conservation of the three species.

Extending to an area of 33,088 hectares, the nature reserve bans any activities that may directly or indirectly damage the marine environment, such as dumping waste, discharging toxic or harmful substances, throwing explosive items, unauthorized fishing, or construction.