Sansha, China's Southernmost City, Advocates for Marine Conservation
China's southernmost city, Sansha, is leading the charge in marine conservation efforts.
TroibNews 
The biodiversity in and around Sansha, an island city in southern China's Hainan Province, has experienced notable improvement in recent years. This enhancement spans breathtaking coral reef coverage and the resurgence of endangered marine species, largely due to local initiatives aimed at ecosystem protection.
Green sea turtles, classified as a first-class protected species in China, reach their breeding peak from May to September. This year, 20 turtle nests were discovered on the islands and reefs of the Xisha Islands in Sansha City.
With the onset of the breeding season, local fishermen have intensified their monitoring of the turtles’ nesting activities to increase the survival rates of the hatchlings. "The monitoring system captures real-time information about turtles coming ashore to lay eggs and sends alert messages to our mobile phones," explained Yu Yangfei, a staff member from the city's Marine Reserve Administration. "We usually visit the site with the fishermen the next morning to verify if the turtles have actually laid eggs."
In the past five years, the number of natural nestings by green sea turtles on Sansha's islands and reefs has surpassed 1,300. Patrol staff have expressed their satisfaction and pride upon seeing young turtles make their way to the sea. "Every time we go on patrol and find little turtles coming out, we are very excited to see their tracks," noted Huang Cheng, a member of the local turtle patrol team. "We feel a sense of achievement by protecting a nest of turtles if they make their way to the sea."
Despite facing challenges like freshwater scarcity, afforestation on the islands and reefs has been a significant challenge over the years. Nevertheless, through persistent efforts, Sansha City has cultivated over 85,000 saplings and successfully planted more than 53,000 of them. In some areas, green coverage has reached over 90 percent, with these numbers continuing to rise.
In addition, a total of 78 species of seabirds have been documented across China's extensive seas, with more than 40 species observed on Sansha's islands and reefs. Coral reef restoration demonstration areas have also been set up on Yongxing and Qilianyu islands, where over 260,000 coral seedlings are set to be transplanted to bolster conservation efforts.
"We will continue to gather efforts from various departments and relevant scientific research institutions to jointly protect the marine environment in our city," reaffirmed Zhang Chenglong, deputy director of the Sansha Marine and Fishery Bureau.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
Green sea turtles, classified as a first-class protected species in China, reach their breeding peak from May to September. This year, 20 turtle nests were discovered on the islands and reefs of the Xisha Islands in Sansha City.
With the onset of the breeding season, local fishermen have intensified their monitoring of the turtles’ nesting activities to increase the survival rates of the hatchlings. "The monitoring system captures real-time information about turtles coming ashore to lay eggs and sends alert messages to our mobile phones," explained Yu Yangfei, a staff member from the city's Marine Reserve Administration. "We usually visit the site with the fishermen the next morning to verify if the turtles have actually laid eggs."
In the past five years, the number of natural nestings by green sea turtles on Sansha's islands and reefs has surpassed 1,300. Patrol staff have expressed their satisfaction and pride upon seeing young turtles make their way to the sea. "Every time we go on patrol and find little turtles coming out, we are very excited to see their tracks," noted Huang Cheng, a member of the local turtle patrol team. "We feel a sense of achievement by protecting a nest of turtles if they make their way to the sea."
Despite facing challenges like freshwater scarcity, afforestation on the islands and reefs has been a significant challenge over the years. Nevertheless, through persistent efforts, Sansha City has cultivated over 85,000 saplings and successfully planted more than 53,000 of them. In some areas, green coverage has reached over 90 percent, with these numbers continuing to rise.
In addition, a total of 78 species of seabirds have been documented across China's extensive seas, with more than 40 species observed on Sansha's islands and reefs. Coral reef restoration demonstration areas have also been set up on Yongxing and Qilianyu islands, where over 260,000 coral seedlings are set to be transplanted to bolster conservation efforts.
"We will continue to gather efforts from various departments and relevant scientific research institutions to jointly protect the marine environment in our city," reaffirmed Zhang Chenglong, deputy director of the Sansha Marine and Fishery Bureau.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
