Promoting Cooperation on the South China Sea Marine Fisheries to Forge a "Blue Engine" for China-ASEAN Economic Growth

Editor's note: Professor Wu Qia'er is the deputy director of the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences(SCSFRI, CAFS), and the chief scientist of the South China Sea Fisheries Development Strategy Research and Innovation Team of the CAFS. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Marine fisheries are an important component of the blue economy and the indispensable sector for ASEAN member countries, as well as coastal states along the South China Sea (SCS). According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the fishery catch volume from the SCS accounts for approximately 12 percent of the global total, and marine fisheries are the key source of livelihood for millions of fishermen and an important source of quality animal proteins for about 300 million people in coastal states of the SCS and further afield. Therefore, promoting the marine fisheries cooperation in the SCS is of great practical significance in advancing the sustainable, resilient and inclusive development of the regional blue economy, building the China-ASEAN blue partnership, and implementing the "the Belt and Road Blue Cooperation Initiative" and the deliverables issued by Thematic Forum on Maritime Cooperation of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2023.

China has always been attaching great importance to fisheries cooperation with the coastal states along the SCS under multilateral and bilateral cooperation mechanisms. ASEAN is China's largest trading partner in aquatic products, with a total bilateral trade volume of $10.01 billion in 2022. Since 2017, China and Vietnam have jointly carried out seven joint marine fishery stocks enhancement and release activities, releasing over 354 million aqua-seeds to the Beibu Gulf, to jointly manage and conserve the aquatic biological resources in the SCS, which were highly recognized by the leaders of China and Vietnam, and have been included in the China-Vietnam Joint Communiqué five times. 

According to data gathered by Chinese scientific research institutions, the recapture rates of Penaeus japonicus and Acanthopagrus latus in 2022 were 21.7 percent and 11.4 percent respectively. The yield of key released species has significantly increased, which substantially benefited to fishermen from both countries. China and the Philippines have conducted practical cooperation in the supply of marine aqua-seeds, marine culturing, among other areas. Since 2017, the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (SCSFRI, CAFS) has trained around 330 fishery management and technical personnel for ASEAN member countries, and organized two batches of international workshops surrounding the sustainable development of fisheries in countries along the SCS.

Currently, the sustainable development of the SCS fisheries is facing threats from climate change, extreme weather such as typhoons, and reduced fishery stocks diversity and habitats destruction caused by overfishing and destructive fishing activities. Meanwhile, the SCS is home to a large number of highly migratory fish species, with fishery resources characterized by inter-connectivity, integrity, and interdependence. China is geographically adjacent to the coastal states along the SCS, with similar climates and strong complementarity in aspects of technology, capital, equipment, market, etc. All the parties shall jointly fulfill the cooperation obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to take the industrial chain cooperation of marine fisheries and the establishment of the SCS Marine Fisheries S&T Cooperation and Exchange Center as one of the priorities of the China-ASEAN Blue Economic Cooperation. Focusing on the concepts of green, low-carbon, intelligent, and safe development, all the parties jointly conduct the industrial, university and research cooperations to promote the sustainable yields and protection of marine fishery stocks and ecosystem services in the SCS, drive coastal fishermen to increase their income and live standards, and build a community with a shared future for the SCS.