939 / 2024-09-19 21:18:59

Current status of marine resources and its protection countermeasures in Guangxi, China

marine resources

The Beibu Gulf, an international waterway situated between China and Vietnam, is characterized by its northern region in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. This region extends from the Beilun River estuary on the China-Vietnam border to Yingluo Port, which is adjacent to Guangdong Province and faces Hainan Province across the sea to the southeast. The Beibu Gulf falls within tropical and subtropical marine areas, distinguished by its abundant rainfall, mild climate, significant marine climate, and pronounced monsoon influence. The sea waters in Guangxi are expansive, covering a total area of approximately 63,400 km². The mainland coastline is intricately winding, with a total length of around 1,595 km. The sea waters of Guangxi are home to numerous bays and islands, including over 650 islands each with an area exceeding 500m². The marine tidal flat area measures approximately 1,005 km², and several rivers flow into it along the coast, creating diverse ecological environments such as bays, estuaries, islands, and continental shelves. These environments host typical marine natural ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds.

The Beibu Gulf, abundant in marine resources and species, is home to one of China's four major fishing grounds. The sea waters in Guangxi support 73 marine plants (including 12 true mangroves, 8 semi-mangroves, 8 seagrasses, and 45 salt marsh plants), 12 species of mammals, 476 species of fish, 269 species of mollusks, 110 species of arthropods, 60 species of corals, 59 species of annelids, and 15 species of echinoderm etc. However, the marine resources of Guangxi are threatened by both human activities and climate change. These threats include marine pollution, overexploitation, land reclamation and seawall construction, and invasion by alien species, all of which contribute to a decline in both marine biodiversity and resource quantity. To address these issues, several recommendations for the conservation of Guangxi's marine ecological environment are proposed: (1) formulation of plans, laws and regulations; (2) systematic governance of marine ecological environment; (3) scientific implementation of marine ecological protection and restoration; (4) strengthening the classification, zoning, and management of marine nature reserves; (5) strengthening scientific research and high-level talent cultivation; (6) Strengthening the publicity of science popularization to enhance public awareness of marine environmental protection.