SANYA, China, Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 5th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, which was held by Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance，National Institute for South China Sea Studies, China Oceanic Development Foundation and Hainan Free Trade Port Research Institute, speakers expressed their views on protection of marine ecological environment and sustainable development of marine fisheries.

Warwick Gullett, professor of Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, recommends to focus on the principles of environmental impact assessment point out that China should pay attention to the corresponding domestic legislation.

Zhou Jian, Adjunct Research Fellow of the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, suggested that, in order to promote co-operation on fisheries among States around the SCS, we could propose an approach by four steps. First, conflicts management and self-restraint by the states directly concerned, with the principle that the fishermen and fishing boats of any coastal state should not be victims of contracting maritime claims. Second, joint investigation and evaluation on the stock of living resources in the SCS should be taken in order to provide scientific and systematic data for decision making by coastal states. Third, on the basis of data collected, coastal states should coordinate their policies on fisheries production in favor of resources management and preservation. Fourth, to create a regional organization for promoting collaboration and co-operation on fishery resources preservation and sustainable fishery development. All four proposals are well based on international law and the realities that we have to face in the SCS.

Harrison Prétat, Deputy Director of Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Center for Strategic and International Studies, pointed that more than 6,200 acres of coral reefs have been destroyed by island-building activities in the South China Sea. Fish stocks in the South China Sea are over-exploited, and despite increased fishing efforts, fish catches have stagnated since the 1990s. Industrial fishing by Vietnam and China dwarfs the efforts of other coastal states and has caused collateral damage to the marine environment through the use of bottom trawling.

WU Qiaer, deputy director of the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, introduced the Main conservation measures for fishery resources in China. The main measures include fishing moratorium, marine ranching construction, ecological compensation for fishing-related projects and adjusting diesel fuel subsidy to resource conservation subsidy.