GUANGZHOU, May 1 -- At noon on Thursday, South China Sea waters north of the 12th parallel north entered a three-and-a-half-month annual fishing moratorium, according to China Coast Guard.

The South China Sea branch of China Coast Guard, in conjunction with marine fishery law enforcement departments and public security authorities in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, has launched a special law enforcement operation for the 2025 South China Sea fishing moratorium to ensure its effective implementation.

Before the moratorium began, task forces boarded fishing boats and patrolled docks to make known relevant laws and regulations to local fishermen, ensuring that all boats were returned to port, all crew members came ashore and all fishing nets were stored. Law enforcement vessels have also been dispatched to patrol the jurisdictional waters to establish a strict presence from the start of the moratorium.