Among several new provisions, China’s latest five-year plan for its fisheries sector has outlined science-based approaches to conserving domestic stocks and strategies to tackle labor abuses and illegal fishing practices in its distant-water fishery operations, according to a Chinese fisheries researcher.
Wang Songlin, a marine biologist and the president of the Qingdao Marine Conservation Society (QMCS), told SeafoodSource the plan limits wild catch from China’s domestic waters to a maximum of 10 million tons per year and prioritizes science-based and targeted fisheries management rather than broad aggregate controls.
“Importantly, the plan calls for species- and fishery-specific catch limits, improved gear and fishing method management, and wider use of selective and resource-friendly fishing technologies,” he said.
The plan also calls for a reduction in the size of the nation’s fishing fleet and includes a prohibition on catching juvenile fish for feed production.
Outside of domestic waters, the plan includes strategies to tackle issues in its distant-water fleet, such as introducing broadband for the welfare of workers to alleviate labor issues.
“It calls for sustainable development of new fishing grounds and resources, tighter control of fleet capacity, stronger compliance assessment and approval systems, training, and greater corporate responsibility,” he said. “It also commits China to compliance with international treaties and arrangements, stronger information reporting, zero tolerance for IUU fishing, and more active participation in international fisheries rulemaking and governance.”
Wang said the proposed installation of broadband at sea is part of a broader focus on reining in the practices of distant-water operations.
“Beyond vessel safety, it addresses onboard living conditions, communications and navigation equipment, crew training, and emergency response,” Wang said. “It also seeks to expand opportunities for fishers to participate in processing and distribution and benefit from higher-value fisheries development.”
The new five-year plan comes shortly after China revised its nationwide fisheries law, the new version of which also includes several provisions to tackle IUU fishing.
For instance, articles 55 to 59 of the revised law, as published by the National People's Congress, state that foreign vessels can only berth at particular ports designated by China, while any vessel found to have engaged in IUU fishing activities is forbidden to enter any Chinese port.
Though China has put forth IUU measures on paper, the nation’s distant-water fleet has been accused of continued engagement in illegal practices across the globe.
