Editor's note: Recently, China Environment News published a report entitled "My father was a fisherman and I am concerned about the future of the ocean — CPPCC member Shen Guojuno offers advice on marine conservation."

Some of Shen Guojun’s best memories are about a tiny fishing village in Fenghua District of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. “My father was a fisherman and I grew up by the sea. Zhoushan Fishing Ground is my hometown, and it’s one of the top four fishing grounds in China.” This explains the inextricable bond between Shen and the sea.

Shen, who is a CPPCC member, Founder and Chairman of Yintai Group, and Executive Chairman of The Paradise International Foundation, cares deeply about marine ecological conservation, and is concerned about the future of the ocean. During his term of service, his focus has been on the establishment of a high quality, highly efficient and high-tech system for marine reserves. He said, "Constantly improving China's marine reserve system is not only an important basis for the implementation of the maritime power strategy, but also the meaning of building a beautiful China."

"I have personally experienced changes in the marine ecosystem"

Marine ecology has suffered varying degrees of damage as a result of expanding human activities for some time, calling for urgent protection of the ocean. Shen said, “The marine ecosystem faces several threats. Establishing marine reserves can help boost the ocean’s tenacity in responding to changes in the environment. This is also the most common policy tool in marine ecosystem governance.”

"The establishment of a high quality, highly efficient and high-tech system for marine reserves should be accelerated"

Good protection of the ocean can retain the best childhood memories of more people.

On the whole, China’s marine reserves still lack overall planning, and have unreasonable structures, inadequate management and other issues. There is still significant room for improvement between the current state and actually achieving the conservation goals. “There is a pressing need for establishing a high quality, highly efficient and high-tech system for marine reserves so as to respond to the zeitgeist of harmonious co-existence between nature and humanity,” said Shen. Specifically, the overall planning of national reserve should be strengthened. Shen advised setting up a marine think tank as well as a multi-stakeholder collaboration and integration mechanism that would take into account the practical experience of higher-level authorities and management entities for marine reserves. He also called for organically integrating marine reserves into national spatial planning, as well as coastal environmental conservation and utilization planning. Overall planning of marine reserves across the country would not only help increase the size of marine reserve coverage but also accelerate the creation of a marine reserve network with good ecological connectivity.

In addition, investment in the management of marine reserve should be increased. The effectiveness evaluation and adaptive management system of the built marine reserve can be consolidated to comprehensively improve the regulatory status and capacity of marine reserve by clearly sorting out the border positions of all marine reserve in the country and their corresponding regulatory functions.

"Calling for more frontliners to contribute to marine conservation"

Marine reserves are not islands independent of the social ecosystem. It requires participation and commitment from all walks of life. “This is particularly the case given the general context of climate change. Marine conservation has become more complicated and more challenging,” Shen told the reporter.

In 2017, Shen promoted Yintai Foundation and The Paradise International Foundation to cooperate with Duke Kunshan University to launch the "Blue Pioneers" program, which aims to nurture talents in China's marine protection. Over the past few years, this program has received more than 80 trainees. Most of them are now active in the front line of China's marine conservation and making their contributions in this field.

“In fact, more diverse social forces should be introduced in many areas. These include, for instance, management of as well as monitoring and scientific study of marine reserves, and publicity for marine reserves.” Shen said, “Behind each high-quality marine reserve should stand a group of people who are passionate about and are willing to explore the ocean.”

In the future construction and management of marine reserves, the introduction of high and new technology and the cultivation of high-end talents will achieve twice the result with half the effort. A "smart brain" of marine nature reserves should be built by nurturing professional talents, establishing a marine science support team with interdisciplinary backgrounds such as environmental science, life science, marine science, big data and artificial intelligence, and building a long-term scientific research cooperation mechanism with universities, scientific research institutes and high-tech enterprises.

Not long ago, Shen attended the opening ceremony of the 2022 "Blue Pioneers" program held by The Paradise International Foundation. "I am particularly happy to see so many young people join the front line of marine protection motivated by their passion for the sea. I also hope that more young people can maintain their enthusiasm, strengthen their determination to work in marine reserve for a long time and contribute to China's marine reserve." Shen said.