China Enacts Comprehensive Revision of Fisheries Law to Combat IUU Fishing and Enhance Aquaculture Sustainability

New Fisheries Law to Take Effect May 1, 2026

Chinese lawmakers have passed a comprehensive revision to the nation's Fisheries Law, with the updated legislation scheduled to come into effect on May 1, 2026. The revision, adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, represents the first major overhaul of the law in nearly 40 years, aiming to address contemporary challenges in the country's vast fishing and aquaculture sectors.

The primary objectives of the revised law are to crack down on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, clean up and promote the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector, enhance the protection of fishery resources, and strengthen overall supervision and administration.

Stricter Measures Against IUU Fishing

The updated Fisheries Law introduces more stringent provisions to combat IUU fishing, aligning China's domestic regulations with international standards. Key measures include:

• Port State Measures Agreement Alignment: The law incorporates obligations from the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), which China ratified in early 2025. This means foreign vessels can only berth at specific designated ports, and any vessel found to have engaged in IUU fishing activities will be forbidden from entering Chinese ports.
• Blacklisting System: A blacklisting system will be implemented for severe breaches, potentially leading to the confiscation of Chinese vessels and the revocation of distant-water fishing licenses.
• Enhanced Oversight: There will be requirements for vessels to record their port movements, and stronger crackdowns on unregistered boats, including prohibiting them from fishing and preventing them from being supplied with fuel, water, or ice without proper registration checks.
• Traceability Management: The law encourages the implementation of traceability management for catches, aiming to track fish from the point of capture to sale.

Promoting Sustainable Aquaculture and Resource Protection

A significant focus of the revised law is the cleanup and sustainable development of China's aquaculture sector, alongside broader fishery resource protection. The legislation encourages the development of green and ecological aquaculture across various water bodies, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as the expansion of deep-sea aquaculture.

Aquaculture producers are now mandated to:

• Protect the ecological environment of water areas and tidal flats.
• Scientifically determine aquaculture density and scale.
• Rationally feed and administer drugs.
• Ensure that aquaculture wastewater discharge complies with relevant pollutant discharge standards to prevent environmental pollution or ecological damage.

The law also promotes resource-saving and environmentally friendly farming models and emphasizes a shift towards offshore aquaculture to reduce environmental pressure on nearshore areas.

Broader Impact and Future Outlook

The revised Fisheries Law also addresses other critical aspects of the sector. It balances development with ecological security and resource conservation with sustainable use, placing equal emphasis on both the quantity and quality of production. The legislation strengthens provisions on the promotion and regulation of aquaculture, tightens management on fishing activities, enhances the protection of fishery resources, and bolsters oversight. Furthermore, it calls for greater support for scientific and technological research in fisheries, introduces a system for safeguarding important waters, and improves regulations on fishing bans.

The law mandates the protection of aquatic germplasm resources and emphasizes the implementation of a fishing quota system, where total allowable catch limits will be determined based on the principle that fishing volume must remain lower than the growth rate of fishery resources. Recognizing the impact on livelihoods, the law also includes provisions for local governments to provide support for fishers transitioning to new employment and skills training.