GUANGZHOU — The summer fishing moratorium started the noon of May 1 in the waters north to 12 degrees north latitude of the South China Sea, with the coast guard and fishery authorities launching law enforcement work.

The annual fishing ban this year is expected to end at noon on Aug 16. More than 50,000 fishing boats will suspend operations during the three-and-a-half-month moratorium, according to the South China Sea branch of China Coast Guard.

The coast guard authority will strictly enforce the ban according to relevant laws and regulations, cracking down on crimes and unlawful acts, to safeguard the rights and interests of marine fisheries and protect the marine ecological environment, it said.

The summer fishing ban is part of China's efforts to promote sustainable marine fishery development and improve marine ecology.