A summary of policy support and distant-water fisheries development in China

After more than 30 years of development, China's distant-water fisheries have become one important part of the world. China has implemented a series of strategic measures and policies to ensure domestic and international food security, bringing the development of distant-water fleets to a high quality level, with total annual catch first exceeding 2 million tonnes in 2014. This study analyzes the development and evolution of China's distant-water fisheries in four stages: initial exploration from 1978 to 1989; accelerated development from 1990 to 1997; stable development from 1998 to 2014; and improving quality and performance since 2015. Policy changes are analyzed using five key characteristics: clearly defining development strategies, persistence and cooperation, strength of policy support, standardization of distant-water management, and industrial technology development. The implementation of the institutional innovation, progress in science and technology, allocation of market resources, resources conservation, responsible for fishing, and productive input forces were the driving forces for the development of China's distant-water fisheries. It was the first national regulatory document to strengthen the conservation of squid resources on the high seas, and also the first international initiative to self-imposed ban fishing on the high seas. Over the past 30 years, the development of distant-water fisheries has not only provided a rich source of high-quality animal protein and food for human beings, but also made an important contribution to the economic development and social employment of local countries such as Africa. Overall, China's distant-water fisheries lag the top tier in terms of its competitiveness and knowledge of pelagic fishery resources. We suggest that the industrial development of China's distant-water fleets needs to rely on improved scientific input and a more standardized management system to ensure its sustainable development and achieve the blue growth advocated by FAO.