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Fisheries in Chinese seas: What can we learn from controversial official fisheries statistics?

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Abstract

China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, unless specified) is the greatest contributor to the total catch of global marine fisheries. As such, data about the degrees of exploitation and developmental dynamics of its fisheries are essential to evaluate and guide future sustainable seafood production and policy implementation and adjustments. In this study, we summarized the national official statistic data on domestic marine fisheries (including both marine capture fisheries and mariculture) from the earliest available year, 1950, to the latest year, 2014, using on the China Fishery Statistical Yearbooks. We also conducted analyses to understand the historical and current statuses of Chinese marine fisheries and their developmental trends. Domestic marine capture fisheries are declining and will continue to decline because of the current degradation and loss of coastal habitats, mainly due to coastal development and pollution and the over-exploitation of coastal natural resources. In contrast, mariculture has demonstrated promise as an approach to increase seafood production. However, given the wide latitudinal range of domestic seas in China, global climate change may impact China’s marine natural resources. We highlight that effective management measures and long-term monitoring are essential for the sustainability of domestic marine capture fisheries. Moreover, environmentally-friendly practices in mariculture should be enhanced and species introduction carefully monitored to achieve sustainable development.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41476149) and the Fuzhou Ocean and Fisheries Bureau of China (No. XDHT2017074A) for funding support. We thank Prof. Yvonne Sadovy de Mitcheson for comments and discussions on the earlier manuscript preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China

    Bin Kang & Jun Li

  2. Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Fishery Resources and Eco-Environment, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China

    Bin Kang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China

    Min Liu

  4. College of Resource, Yunnan Institute of Geography, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China

    Xiao-Xia Huang

  5. Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China

    Yun-Rong Yan

  6. National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 944, P.O., Taiwan, China

    Chiao-Chuan Han

  7. Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

    Shao-Bo Chen

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  1. Bin Kang
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  2. Min Liu
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  3. Xiao-Xia Huang
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  4. Jun Li
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  7. Shao-Bo Chen
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Correspondence to Bin Kang or Min Liu.

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Kang, B., Liu, M., Huang, XX. et al. Fisheries in Chinese seas: What can we learn from controversial official fisheries statistics?. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 28, 503–519 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-018-9518-1

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