BEIJING, Dec. 24 -- A report on the enforcement of China's fisheries law called for more efforts to conserve resources, restore productivity in fishery waters, and promote the sustainable use of fishery resources.
The report was submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for deliberation on Tuesday at its ongoing bimonthly session which runs from Dec. 23 to 28.
The number of both commercial fish species in the Bohai Sea and traditional high-quality and dominant fish species in the Yangtze River estuary has gradually decreased, according to the report.
The report recommended strictly controlling the number and power of fishing boats, effectively implementing the fishing ban in key areas of the Yangtze River basin, and actively reducing the scale of offshore fishing.
Wu Weihua, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, read the report to the legislature.
The report pointed out that the State Council and governments at all levels have regulated and managed the fishery industry in accordance with the law and promoted the sustainable and healthy development of the industry.
According to the report, in 2018, the country's total output of aquatic products reached 64.58 million tonnes, accounting for 40 percent of the world's total, and the per capita annual income of fishermen reached 19,885 yuan (about 2,841 U.S. dollars).
The report said the current law enforcement situation has basically achieved the legislative purpose of boosting fishery production and meeting the needs of the people.
However, the fishery industry still faces challenges including the underdevelopment of eco-friendly fish breeding, the low level of supervision and management of fishing, and the incomplete system of laws and regulations governing fisheries, the report added.
During September and October, the NPC Standing Committee dispatched inspectors to eight provincial-level areas including Tianjin, Liaoning, Shanghai and Zhejiang to delve into deep-rooted problems hindering the enforcement of the fisheries law. They also entrusted local legislatures in seven other provincial-level areas with law enforcement inspection.
The inspection was the first of its kind since China implemented the fisheries law in 1986.