Fishing vessels set sail from Lyusi Fishing Port in Qidong, Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

Qidong kicked off its full-scale fishing season on Sept 16, signaling the arrival of fresh seafood like pomfret, hairtail, and yellow croaker.

At the Lyusi Fishing Port lock gate, 207 sail-net vessels lined up in an orderly fashion according to a pre-determined draw. As the gates slowly opened, the boats cast off their mooring ropes and set sail.

The seasonal four-and-a-half-month marine fishing moratorium has now ended, allowing all 629 fishing vessels in Qidong — including sail-net, set-net, boom-trawl, and gill-net boats — along with 44 transport ships, to resume operations.

The first fishing trips are targeting high-value species. The fleet is expected to return in about 10 days, bringing a large harvest to local markets and providing residents with a rich selection of fresh seafood.