A fishing vessel returns fully loaded with the season's first post-moratorium catch to a port in Rongcheng, a county-level city of Shandong province, on Wednesday. [Photo by Li Xinjun/for chinadaily.com.cn]

To protect marine resources and promote sustainable development, China has enforced a summer fishing ban since 1995. The seasonal moratorium plays a vital role in restoring fish stocks and supporting the long-term viability of the country's fishing industry.

On Monday, hundreds of fishing vessels set sail from the port, marking the end of a four-month fishing moratorium in China's Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea north of a latitude of 35 degrees.