At least 800 devices, using electronic impulse to stir up dormant shrimps in ocean sands to increase output, have been destroyed in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang.

To protect the marine resources, the provincial oceanic and fishery administration banned the use of the stimulating devices from January 1.

Since the end of last year, some local fishermen and fishing enterprises have handed in about 300 devices which were smashed.

The devices have been used for eight years in the province’s coastal areas. They were installed at trawls to stimulate shrimps resting in sands into active flopping to be trapped by trawl boats.

The devices were widely used and destructive to marine resources, administration officials said. Some manufacturers increased the devices’ power degree of electronic impulse to meet demand for such illegal shipping operations, which disturbs the normal activities of shrimps and fish and thus degenerates marine resources.

(Xinhua 01/25/2001)