Local companies and volunteers helping native species to proliferate

Thirty employees of Dalian Ocean Fishing Co Ltd and more than 100 environmental volunteers released 100,000 young olive flounder on July 7 in Lushunkou district of Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province.

Small boats carried the volunteers from the port to the area where they poured the fish into the sea.

"This species of flounder is commonly seen in the local seas. At about 7 centimeters long, these young fish can survive easily," said Ge Shuqing, deputy general manager of Dalian Ocean Fishing.

This was the fourth time that the company had sponsored Dalian's public participation in marine proliferation and environmental protection activities. Since 2015, the company has donated 100,000 yuan ($15,000) each year for the event.

"Our company benefits from the ocean. We feel duty bound to give back to society and the sea, and so to maintain a sustainable marine environment for the next generation," Ge said.

Founded in 2000, Dalian Ocean Fishing was among the early entrants into the ultralow temperature longline tuna fishing industry in China. Currently, it operates a fleet of 33 fishing vessels that catch more than 10,000 metric tons of premium tuna and similar species, common tuna and other fish every year in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Ge said the company deploys more environmentally friendly fishing methods than the purse seine fishing method, which uses a large net to capture fish. Their approach minimizes the impact on fishery resources and other marine species.

"We will continue to be an environmentally friendly company and will keep supporting these charity activities," Ge said.

According to Jin Ye, secretary general of the Dalian Environmental Protection Volunteers Association, the release of young fish into the sea is an effective method to increase the amount of biological resources and rebalance the sea's ecosystem.

During the annual four-month fishing moratorium in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, all fishing operations are prohibited. The summer break provides sufficient growth time for the released fish and increases their survival rate, Jin said.

"The activity sponsored by Dalian Ocean Fishing not only increases the number of marine organisms, but also raises public awareness of marine environmental protection, and has become an effective way for citizens to participate in the protection of marine resources and the ecological environment," Jin said.

In Dalian, more companies have been participating in the event in recent years.

This year, Dalian Deyou Aquatic Products Co Ltd provided with venues and boats. Dalian Tianzheng Industry Co Ltd provided the young fish at a below market price.

"It's very meaningful to be able to participate in such environmental charity activities," said Chen Deyou, general manager of Deyou Aquatic Products.

This year, 2.16 billion young fish, shrimps, and crabs have been released in Dalian, costing 32.53 million yuan, said Hu Xiaokun, an official with Dalian Oceanic and Fishery Administration.

"It is estimated that the output will increase by 2,400 tons and the output value by 260 million yuan, benefiting 30,000 fishermen," he said.

(China Daily 07/19/2018 page18)