A deep-sea fishing vessel was observed unloading bags of plastic waste at the National Pelagic Fishing Base in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province on Jan 10.

This occurrence has become increasingly common at various docks in Zhoushan, as more pelagic fishermen have voluntarily brought back shredded plastic and other waste from the high seas for disposal since the beginning of 2023.

Official statistics reveal that a total of 352 Zhoushan pelagic fishing vessels, equipped with marine garbage shredders, brought back over 50 metric tons of plastic garbage from the high seas in 2023.

Xiong Pengfei, deputy secretary-general of the China Distant Water Fishery Association, lauded the installation of marine garbage shredders on deep-sea fishing vessels as a pioneering initiative nationwide.

Xiong expressed his long-standing concern about marine plastic waste and emphasized the association's commitment to promoting the Zhoushan experience to other regions. 

In addition to this initiative, Zhoushan has been actively conducting beach cleaning patrols and marine debris cleanup in its marine protected areas since 2019. The efforts have resulted in the clearance of over 18,000 cubic meters of plastic waste to date.

Furthermore, in June 2022, the Putuo Fishery Port implemented an intelligent pollution control project for fishing vessels, capable of the annual collection and proper disposal of over 450 tons of various shipborne pollutants.