Bio-diversity

Meilian Village located in the west most of Yacheng Town,Sanya city, Hainan province. It is towards the South China Sea in the south. It is rich in natural resources especially fish species. However, because of the poor economic condition, half of the villagers work in near enterprises and another part of them still make a living by fishing. Meilian Village faced problems of environmental and ecological pollution, damage of natural resources, single source of living income and poor living conditions. Violent and backward fishing methods caused great threat to the local biodiversity. Illegal fishing such as bottom trawling, net fishing, electric fishing, fish in the forbidden fishing time still happen. The amount of annual average catch from 1 ton 10 years ago fell into 500 kilograms per year today. Meilian villagers annual living income is about 4000RMB($656). Main Problems: 1) The local villagers use the destructive fishing methods which seriously damage marine ecological environment. 2) Villagers are poorly educated and lacking of environmental protection awareness. 3) Villagers need alternative livelihood but they are lacking of capacity to develop it. Solutions/activities: 1) Establish fishing Communities co-management mechanism in Mailian village 2) Organize trainings and outreach on marine environment protection, fisheries laws and regulations, sustainable fisheries development and community co-management model to fishery community and primary school students. 3) Install trash bins and trash cans to reduce land-based pollution to the marine environment. 4) Replace small mesh nets by large mesh nets trawlers. 5) Develop eco-tourism by taking advantage of the empty houses in the village. 6) Establish 100 ha. of sustainable fishing ground. 7) Clean offshore Marine Litter. 8) Conduct project publicity and promotion.

China