Fish for Future: A Collaborative Ecological Fisheries Strategy for China

Overfishing in China over the past three decades has not only created enormous challenges in sustaining China’s own fisheries but is also exerting growing pressure on a global scale. The Chinese government recognizes the imminent threat of fisheries collapse and is starting to strengthen its own regulatory and policy measures. Concurrently, the NGO community in China is eager to support the government’s efforts to improve fisheries management and build a “marine eco-civilization” together. 

Oceans 5 is supporting a partnership comprised initially of the World Wildlife Fund, Qingdao Marine Conservation Society/Ocean Outcomes, Greenovation Hub, the local offices of Natural Resources Defense Council, ChinaDialogue, The Nature Conservancy, the Environmental Defense Fund, and others to build capacity, analyze key problems, and develop feasible solutions to improve fisheries management in China. The first batch of collaborative projects includes combatting illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing on the high seas and in coastal states and modernizing fisheries management through implementing total allowable catch limits with pilots to subsequently scale up. 

To facilitate the evolution of China’s policies and practices, a new understanding is needed among the public and key decision makers about possible solutions and pathways to change, including the sustainable use of ocean resources. This project will focus on strengthening communications across different levels of stakeholders on the connections between human well-being and healthy oceans—beyond seafood and China’s own waters—and the importance of the oceans for food security. In the long term, the collaboration among these NGOs and other stakeholders will aim to transform China’s international and domestic fisheries to become more ecologically and socially sustainable for current and future generations.