The ban by the Ministry of Agriculture will affect 118,000 boats -- 46,000 more than in 1995 when China first started the ban.

This year the ban will be implemented on areas of the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Bohai Bay and the South China Sea.

The June-September ban is aimed at protecting fish stocks in coastal waters, covering the major breeding season of many species.

Officials claim a reduction in fishing during this period will increase survival rates and protect future resources.

A special allowance from the government will enable fishermen to maintain their livelihoods during the ban period -- and they are looking forward to the harvest when restrictions end.

Fishermen in Xikou Village of Yantai, East China's Shandong Province, have made it a tradition to decorate all of their boats with colourful flags for their first fishing trip after the ban.

"We support the country's fishing ban, and we are harvesting more fish after it ends," said Xia Guangqi, a local fisherman.

A wide range of fishing activities will be suspended this year such as the use of trawl nets and purse seines. For the first time, certain mechanical methods of hunting shrimp using special trawl nets are also banned.

The special breeding habits of major economic fish species in sea areas north of the 35th parallel of latitude have led the ministry to increase a ban on fishing there by half a month to June 16.

The Ministry of Agriculture has stated publicly that the country's eight-year-old summer fishing ban has been a great success, helping to curb a deterioration in the country's fish stocks.

More than 80 per cent of China's marine resources were being over-fished by the beginning of 1995 with sharp decreases in many species.

The ban has seen a resurgence in the number of fish species of major economic value in China, such as hairtail, Spanish Mackerel and yellow croaker.

The ban has also led to a continuous increase in the value of the country's fish output over the past eight years.

China's average annual fish output between 1995 and 2001 was 1.28 times higher than the level between 1990 and 1994.

This increased output has also boosted the incomes of Chinese fishermen, the Ministry of Agriculture stated.

In addition, the ban has also lowered operation costs.

(China Daily May 7, 2003)