The State Oceanic Administration is responsible for drafting laws and regulations concerning sea area uses, environmental protection, scientific research and island protection in China’s internal sea, territorial waters, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf and other sea areas. It is also responsible for drafting plans with relevant departments on strategic development of the sea and its main functional zones, and plans on environmental protection, marine economic development, island protection and development of uninhabited islands.
The SOA is responsible for formulating the systems and measures to enforce laws to protect marine rights, as well as the norms and procedures of law enforcement. It enforces laws in the sea areas under China’s jurisdiction to protect the country’s rights. It manages and protects the maritime borders, and it aims to prevent - and also cracks down on - criminal activities including maritime smuggling, illegal immigration and drug trafficking, and maintains the country’s marine safety and security.
It is responsible for safeguarding important objects and dealing with emergencies at sea, and for monitoring the enforcement of fisheries law and dealing with fishery disputes.
The SOA is responsible for inspecting law enforcement of sea area uses, island protection, development and utilization of uninhabited islands, as well as the protection of marine ecological environment, the exploration and utilization of marine mineral resources, laying submarine cables and pipelines, and marine survey and marine scientific research activities involving other countries or foreign nationals. It guides and coordinates local marine law enforcement, takes part in emergency rescues at sea, and organizes or participates in investigations and handling of accidents in the fishery industry in accordance with China’s laws and regulations. It surveys and tackles marine environmental pollution according to the guidance of the authorities.
The SOA is responsible for formulating and supervising the implementation of the plans of marine function zoning and the management system of sea area uses. It organizes the demarcation of coastline and maritime boundaries between the coastal provinces. It also organizes and formulates the regulations for construction and use of exclusive economic zones, artificial islands, installments and structures on the continental shelf, and supervises the implementation of the regulations.
The SOA is responsible for formulating and supervising the implementation of regulations concerning island protection and the development and utilization of uninhabited islands. It is also responsible for the management of waters beyond China’s coastal zone, uninhabited islands and submarine topography and toponomy. It formulates and supervises the implementation of regulations to protect and manage territorial sea baselines and islands with special purposes.
The SOA is responsible for carrying out plans concerning marine ecological environment protection. It organizes and formulates standards for marine ecological environment protection, formulates a system to control the total amount of pollutants discharged into the sea and supervises its implementation. It formulates and supervises the implementation of standards for monitoring and assessing the marine environment. It releases information related to the marine environment, files national claims for marine ecological damage compensation, and organizes efforts to tackle climate change.
The SOA is responsible for formulating and supervising the implementation of regulations for marine monitoring and observance and forecasting, as well as hazard forecasting and early warning. It organizes the formulation and implementation of an ocean monitoring program. It releases information concerning ocean observance and forecasting as well as hazard forecasting and early warning forecasting, works to improve the system to ensure marine safety, and participates in handling major marine disasters.
The SOA is responsible for formulating and implementing plans to develop marine science and technology, formulating marine technical standards, measurements and specifications, organizing marine surveys and building a mechanism to promote marine scientific and technological innovation.
The SOA is responsible for carrying out comprehensive monitoring, evaluating statistics and undertaking accounting work to assess marine economic operations - and releasing information. It puts forward policies and suggestions to optimize the marine industrial structure.
The SOA is responsible for conducting international marine cooperation and exchanges, and participating in negotiations and consultations related to marine affairs involving other countries. It organizes international maritime conventions, treaties and agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and The Antarctic Treaty, and is responsible for various affairs concerning the polar regions, high seas and international seabed areas.
