Fishing will be banned over the next two months in the South China Sea as the country's summer fishing ban became effective at 12:00 AM Friday.

The number of fishing boats participating in the ban total 3,926,228 more than last year, sources said.

The ban will be effective between 12:00 AM of June 1 and 12:00 AM of August 1.

Beginning this year, the fishing ban will be enacted every year from now on for the same period of time in the sea area between east China's Fujian Province and south China's Guangdong Province, sources said.

(xinhua 06/01/2001)