A sailor watches as the anchor is heaved up after a three-and-a-half-month summer fishing moratorium in Zhapo Town of Yangjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province, Aug. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)

by Xinhua writers Hong Zehua, Qiu Qingyi and Xiong Jiayi

GUANGZHOU, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Standing on the shore in Zhapo Town, a bustling fishing port in the city of Yangjiang in south China's Guangdong Province, I felt the sea breeze and detected a hint of salt. As thousands of fishing boats sounded their horns and sailed out together, I could sense the joy in the air as the village welcomed the start of another fishing season.

Every year in mid-August, fishermen across Guangdong celebrate the end of the three-and-a-half-month summer fishing moratorium. With the ban lifted, they head out into the South China Sea to begin a new chapter of life at sea.

Together with a few friends, I visited Hailing Island, the largest island in Yangjiang and the fourth-largest in Guangdong, to experience this grand festival of the area's fisherfolk.

China first introduced the summer fishing moratorium in 1995, after years of overfishing had sharply reduced near-shore fish stocks. The policy is designed to promote sustainable practices and allow marine ecosystems to recover.

From 1995 to 2021, the moratorium rules were adjusted 14 times, leading to a marked recovery of marine resources. Monitoring data from a published thesis I've recently read shows that in the South China Sea, the density of fishery resources in August 2017 was 70 percent higher than in May that year.

Yangjiang's mariculture industry has also benefited. In 2024, the city's mariculture output reached 820,500 tonnes, a 2.53-percent increase. In the first half of 2025 alone, production totaled 385,000 tonnes, reflecting a 4.46-percent growth year on year.

For fishermen, however, the moratorium has long been a challenge. Many had to take temporary jobs onshore to make ends meet. That's why the reopening of the season is not just the start of their preferred work, but also a homecoming -- returning to their boats, their trade and their way of life.

"We've been preparing for weeks, and now we're excited to set sail. Our boat will stay at sea for about a month. Hopefully, this year will bring us a good catch," Sun, a fisherman at Zhapo Port, told me.

Life on the ocean, of course, is never easy. Sailors must endure storms, heavy rain and the threat of typhoons, alongside the loneliness of long voyages. Local records reveal that about a century ago, a typhoon had destroyed more than 130 boats and fishing sheds in the area, forcing villagers to rebuild their lives at Zhapo Port. Generations later, this port has become one of Guangdong's most renowned fishing hubs.

Before the fishermen depart, families gather for a grand feast, a cherished tradition that brings loved ones together before the fishermen return to the sea. The festival also features wedding ceremonies, parades and traditional dances.

This year, cultural and recreational events added extra color, including a beach music festival, model contest, glow-in-the-dark kite carnival, photography competition and fireworks show. I found it very exciting!

The fishing season, notably, has transformed into a cultural and tourism festival with broad public participation. It attracts large crowds of visitors, boosts local tourism, and benefits both fishermen and coastal residents, as Guan Tianbiao, vice mayor of Yangjiang, told a press conference earlier this month.

In recent years, Yangjiang has intensified its efforts to develop its tourism industry, building on its signature events. Official data shows that the city attracts about 15 million visitors annually, generating 15.5 billion yuan (about 2.17 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue.

I also learned from local authorities of Hailing Island that this year's feast and fishing season events are expected to draw roughly 100,000 tourists, with projected revenue of 200 million yuan.

As the boats gradually disappeared over the horizon, I felt hopeful that they would return with holds full of fresh seafood, ushering in yet another celebration. How I wish you could join the fishermen next year to taste the sea's bounty and experience the unique traditions of coastal China. Certainly you now know a good place to go! ■

Fishermen prepare for the coming fishing season one day before the lifting of the summer fishing moratorium in Zhapo Town of Yangjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province, Aug. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)