Speech by Vice Minister Yu Kangzhen at the 30-year Symposium on China's Offshore Fisheries

Dear Vice Premier Wang Yang, comrades and friends,

Ocean fishing is the forerunner and pioneer of "going out" in our country. On March 10, 1985, the ocean-going fishing fleet composed of 13 fishing vessels and 223 crew members of the China Fisheries Corporation went to work on fishing grounds in the Atlantic and West African waters, which opened a glorious page in the history of China's offshore fishing industry.

Over the past 30 years, China's ocean-going fishing? Has gone through an extraordinary road of development.

The period from 1985 to 2000 was the initial stage and accumulation stage of offshore fishery. Over the past 15 years, China's ocean-going fishing enterprises have successively dispatched more than 1700 ocean-going fishing vessels to go abroad and to the deep sea, and the operating area has expanded from several West African countries such as Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to more than 30 countries and regions such as Asia and the South Pacific. And began to develop high seas fishery resources in the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Atlantic Ocean. In the past 15 years, China's offshore fishery has not only gained a firm foothold abroad and laid a solid foundation for future development, but also caught nearly 8 million tons, alleviating the contradiction of insufficient supply of high-quality aquatic products in China. Remarkable economic and social benefits have been achieved.

The period from 2001 to 2010 was a leapfrog stage of development of offshore fisheries. The most important feature of this stage is the significant enhancement of the ability to develop fishery resources on the high seas. In 2001, the State Council approved the implementation of the General Plan for the Development of China's Offshore Fisheries (2001-2010), which clearly regarded offshore fishing as an important part of the "going out" strategy and the development of export-oriented economy. The strategic objectives, strategic priorities and safeguard measures for giving priority to the development of oceanic high seas fisheries are put forward. By 2010, the number of fishing vessels on the high seas increased from 248in 2000 to 729, accounting for 47 per cent of the total number of ocean-going fishing vessels, and the fishery production on the high seas increased from 130000 tons in 2000 to 480000 tons, accounting for 43 per cent of ocean-going fishery production. The operating area covers the high seas of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, and begins to march into Antarctic waters. In the past 10 years, China's offshore fishery has undergone a period of transformation and qualitative change, and has become a big country in the development and utilization of fishery resources on the high seas.

From 2011 to now, it is the accelerated transformation and upgrading stage of offshore fishing. The most important feature of this stage is the further increase of national policy support and the significant improvement of the level of offshore fishing equipment. In 2012, the state issued a support policy for the renewal and transformation of marine fishing vessels, the speed of new ocean-going fishing vessels was significantly accelerated, a large number of new specialized ocean-going fishing vessels were put into production, and the industrial scale and comprehensive strength were significantly improved. At the same time, the offshore fishery management system which adapts to the international fishery management rules is becoming more and more perfect, and all the indicators of offshore fishery development have reached a record high. China has begun to move steadily from a big ocean fishery country to a powerful ocean fishery country.

Over the past 30 years, China's offshore fishery has made brilliant achievements in development.

First, the industrial scale is in the forefront of the world. According to statistics, in 2014, the total output and output value of offshore fishing reached 2.03 million tons and 18.5 billion yuan respectively, the number of operating ocean-going fishing vessels reached 2460, and the total power reached 2 million kilowatts. The overall size of the fleet and offshore fishery production are among the highest in the world. The development capacity of fishery resources on the high seas can best reflect the comprehensive strength of a country's offshore fisheries. At present, the scale and output of squid fishing fleet on the high seas in China ranks first in the world, the number of tuna longline fishing vessels and tuna production rank in the forefront of the world, and the number and production capacity of professional saury have entered the advanced ranks of the world. Important progress has been made in the development of Antarctic krill resources.

Second, the equipment level has been significantly improved. Since 2011, the number of newly built professional ocean-going fishing vessels has reached more than 1300, the aging problem of the ocean-going fishing fleet has been significantly improved, the proportion of medium and large fishing vessels has significantly increased, and the overall equipment level of ocean-going fishing vessels has been significantly improved. The modern, professional and standardized ocean-going fishing fleet is beginning to take shape. The design and manufacturing capacity of fishing vessels and marine equipment and facilities have been significantly improved, and a number of tuna ultra-low temperature longline boats, tuna purse seine vessels, and swordfish fishing boats independently designed and built by China have been put into production one after another. it indicates that the construction of large-scale specialized ocean-going fishing vessels in our country has reached a new level.

Third, the industrial structure is being optimized day by day. The operating area has expanded from several West African countries to the exclusive economic zones of 40 countries and regions, as well as the Pacific, Indian Ocean, Atlantic high seas and Antarctic waters. In 2014, the proportion of fishery production on the high seas reached 65%. Fishing methods have developed from single trawl to trawl, purse seine, Gill net, fishing gear and other types of operations. The business content has changed from single fishing to comprehensive management of fishing, processing and trade. More than 100 representative offices and joint ventures stationed abroad have been set up, more than 30 overseas bases have been built, and a number of processing and logistics bases and trading markets have been established at home. Important progress has been made in the construction of the industrial chain.

Fourth, the policy system has been gradually improved. Since its inception in 1985, the state has given support to offshore fishery in terms of finance and taxation, which has played an important role in optimizing China's offshore fishery industrial structure, improving equipment level and enhancing international competitiveness. At the same time, in view of the professional, foreign-related and high risks of offshore fishing, the Ministry of Agriculture has formulated the regulations on the Management of Offshore Fisheries and established the qualification management system of offshore fishery projects and enterprises. regulatory measures such as production report, standardized fishing log, monitoring of fishing vessel position, dispatch of national observers and issuance of legal fishing certificates have been implemented to cover the whole process of offshore fishery production. It provides a strong institutional guarantee for promoting the standardized and orderly development of offshore fisheries.