The first fleet of 50 fishing boats in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong, Jiangsu province, set sail after the three-month fishing ban.

Official statistics show that the fishing boats accounted for 60 percent of the total number of idle fishing boats in the county.

"Our main catch will be swimming crabs and pomfret. Typically, we stay at sea for about 15 days before returning to the port. Our most successful trip in the past yielded over 3,000 kilograms of seafood," said Wu Jianhua, a fishing boat captain in the county. "We hope for a bountiful harvest this year!"

The departure of the 50 fishing boats means that local consumers in Hai'an will soon have an abundance of fresh fish, shrimp, and crab on their tables.

To ensure the navigational safety of commercial fishing boats, local maritime safety and agriculture administrations have arranged for law enforcement vessels to patrol key waters and have released safety alerts to guide navigation.

The first fleet of fishing boats set sail. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]