Zhejiang Province: Ocean and Fishery Departments to Upgrade Beidou Positioning Terminal Equipment
On April 8th, 2018, Zhejiang Province’s work conference on the battle to preserve juvenile fish resources, the battle to guard the outcome of summer fishing moratorium, and the battle against the use of fishing gear (hereinafter referred to as the “Three Battles”) was held in Hangzhou. It marked the commencement of the “Three Battles” in 2018, which will focus on solving the six major issues including the supervision of docking fishing vessels and and uncontrolled juvenile fishing.
Last year, Zhejiang Province upgrade from “Two Battles” to “Three Battles”, adding “the battle against the use of fishing gear” on the basis of “the battle to guard the outcome of summer fishing moratorium” and “the battle to preserve juvenile fish resources” in 2016. The “Three Battles” were officially commenced on April 14th last year.
Tong Jiachao, member and deputy director of Zhejiang Province Ocean and Fisheries Bureau announced at the conference the 2017 grade report of the “Three Battles”: throughout the whole Zhejiang province, 2,019 illegal and irregular cases of various types were seized, more than 700 “three-no” fishing vessels were investigated and handled, more than 197,000 illegal fishing gears were collected, over 1.35 million kg of illicit fishing items were confiscated, and deductions in production subsidies were made to 52 illegal fishing vessels; 254 criminal cases and 1,171 involved persons were transferred, both two transfer targets exceeding the sum of the first few years of the “One Campaign and Three Improvements”.
Regarding the general idea of the “Three Battles” of this year, Tong expressed that he will stick to the problem orientation and strictly control the “four types of boats” -- recreational boats, fishing boats, shrimp hauling boats, and elsewhere docking boats. In addition, the “three types of behaviors” are also strictly forbidden: early fishing, illegal fishing, and in-line trawling, implementing the three “zero tolerance” on “Three-No” boats, fishing nets with tiny mesh, and uncontrolled juvenile fishing.
“In details, we have to crack the six major problems.” said Tong. It is reported that the six major problems are the supervision of docking boats, restriction on uncontrolled juvenile fishing, handling of “Three-No” fishing vessels, unauthorized alteration of operation method, supplementary ship management, and the control over circulation channel.
Take uncontrolled juvenile fishing as an example. This year, Zhejiang will formulate provincial standards on the number and specifications of fishing gear carried, and reinforce fishing gear inspection of fishing vessels both in port and working offshore. Also, juvenile fish ratio system will be implemented, the setting up of bay (beach) directors as managing method will be thoroughly carried out, and “fishing net with tiny mesh” will definitely be prohibited.
Zhejiang has blown the bugle of the “Three Battles” 2018, in which technology will also play an crucial and supporting role. Reporters learned from the conference that Zhejiang Province Ocean and Fisheries Bureau will finish the construction of information command center before May 1st. Meanwhile, Zhejiang’s ocean and fishery departments will upgrade Beidou positioning terminal equipment by July 30th.
At present, the “Implementation Plan of the ‘Three Battles’ 2018” has been printed and published. According to the Plan, the “Three Battles” of this year will be divided into four major stages: starting-up, comprehensive fishing moratorium, resumption of fishing in succession, and comprehensive commencement of fishing.