Recent Initiatives and Developments in the Ecological Utilization of Marine Resources (EUMR) in China

Since the 1990's, China's marine management has undergone a series of developments. It has progressed from lawlessness to the rule of law, from blind development to a rational planning and from over-exploitation to ecological use of marine resources. Based on the ecological conditions and the characteristics of the marine utilization in China, this paper describes the concept of the "ecological utilization of marine resources (EUMR)" and its development, connotation and foundation. Furthermore, it presents the new regulations on China's regional infrastructural planning for marine utilization, protection and utilization of the coastline, marine ecological red line, and others. Lastly, this paper proposes some suggestions on the implementation of the EUMR from four aspects, namely, the ecological development, ecological protection, resource conservation and remediation. Adhering to the EUMR has become the new principle of marine management in China, and this principle provides a direction for solving the problems regarding the excessive consumption of the marine resources and deteriorating ecological environment. Furthermore, it can act as a healthy base of marine management experiences for other coastal countries to study and follow them.