China’s legislative body has enacted a comprehensive revision of the nation’s Fisheries Law, marking a significant shift toward ecologically sustainable fishing practices and green development within the aquaculture sector. The updated legislation, ratified during the December 28th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, will become operational on May 1, 2026.
The revised legal framework establishes a dual emphasis on both production output and ecological quality, mandating equilibrium between developmental objectives and environmental security. It introduces strengthened provisions governing aquaculture operations, enhanced fishery resource protection protocols, and more rigorous oversight mechanisms.
This legislative modernization addresses critical challenges that have emerged since the law’s initial 1986 implementation, including resource depletion concerns and industry modernization requirements. An official from the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission noted that previous amendments, including the 2013 revision, had become insufficient for contemporary ecological and industrial demands.
Key innovations within the revised law include:
– Enhanced support for fisheries-related scientific research and technological commercialization
– Authorization for localized recreational fisheries management policies
– Promotion of resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable farming methodologies
– Mandatory scientific stocking density calculations and regulated use of feeds/pharmaceuticals
– Requirement for wastewater treatment meeting discharge standards before release
– Implementation of fishing quotas based on resource regeneration capacity principles
– Graded licensing systems for fishing vessels and equipment
– Establishment of protected fisheries-critical water zones
– Improved fishing ban specifications regarding geographical scope and duration
– Creation of national aquatic germplasm resource bank for genetic conservation
– Tightened import/export controls for aquatic genetic resources
– Clarified enforcement jurisdictions between fishery authorities and coast guard agencies
– Strict prohibitions on unregistered vessels with port service restrictions
These comprehensive measures provide legal instruments to eliminate illegal fishing operations while advancing China’s ecological civilization objectives within marine resource management.