YANTAI, Shandong: Fishermen are harvesting the sea after a summer fishing ban ended at noon on Tuesday.

The summer-long ban affected more than 118,000 boats on areas of the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Bohai Bay and the South China Sea.

Sources with the Ministry of Agriculture show that the country's eight-year-old summer fishing ban has been a great success, helping curb a deterioration in the country's fish stocks.

The ban has in turn created a resurgence in the number of fish species of major economic value in China, as well as leading to a continuous increase in the value of the country's fish output over the past eight years. This increased output has also boosted the incomes of Chinese fishermen, according to the ministry.

Summer is the best spawning period for fish, shrimp, crabs and many other species, so it is the perfect time for protecting fish stocks. A special allowance from the government enables fishermen to maintain their livelihoods during the ban period.