Transforming China’s Fisheries: A 40-Year Journey toward Sustainable Management (1980–2019)
As the world’s largest producer of fish, China has faced significant challenges in developing its fisheries. Over the past four decades, China has implemented and adjusted multiple regulations and measures to reverse the decline of aquatic resources and achieve sustainable fisheries. This study analyzes the production trends and efforts during the period 1980–2019, highlighting the key features of and structural shifts in China’s fisheries. Our results reveal a significant shift in seafood production from capture to aquaculture and from offshore to inshore waters.