An officer from the Zhoushan entry-exit border inspection station checks the identities of six Indonesian crew members at Mazhi anchorage in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province.  [Photo/Tide News]

Officers from the Zhoushan entry-exit border inspection station carried out clearance procedures for six Indonesian crew members aboard the Chinese-flagged vessel Hongpu 31, anchored at Mazhi anchorage in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Aug 28.

This is the first foreign fishing crew to depart from Zhoushan Port under the new entry-exit policy for foreign distant-water fishing crews implemented in August.

Local media Tide News reported that 46 Indonesian crew members arrived in Zhoushan on Aug 18 and immediately underwent customs health checks and required training. They are scheduled to leave in batches for offshore production soon.

Zhejiang is currently the only pilot province in China that has hired international crew members for distant-water fishing. There are nearly 4,000 foreign crew members working in Zhejiang's distant-water fishing industry, with over 3,400 employed by Zhoushan's distant-water fishing enterprises.

In the next two months, approximately 300 international crew members will arrive in Zhoushan. After completing the required training, they will also depart in batches to conduct fishing operations. Hiring international crew members not only helps enterprises save costs but also addresses the labor shortage in China's distant-water fishing industry.

The Zhoushan entry-exit border inspection station has implemented efficient measures to speed up the clearance procedures for international crew members departing for operations.