GUANGZHOU — The summer fishing moratorium ended on Aug 16 in the South China Sea.

The fishing moratorium starting on May 1 has been considered as the toughest in history, with a number of new technologies such as satellite positioning, video surveillance and big data management used as new approaches for the maritime law enforcement.

During the three-and-a-half-month moratorium, the marine law enforcement corps in South China's Guangdong province has sent vessels on 5,605 patrol trips, during which 1,768 violation cases were handled, 1,691 illegal fishing vessels were seized and 630,000 square meters of illegal fishing nets were removed.

The fishing ban in the South China Sea began in 1999, which is aimed at protecting the ocean's ecosystem and biodiversity from excessive fishing. Safety inspections on fishing gear and vessels are carried out during the ban, while training on relevant regulations and skills are offered to fishermen.