Hainan shuts down illegal beachcombing in mangrove reserves

Hainan authorities have shut down illegal beachcombing, or tide-pooling, operations in mangrove nature reserves in Sanya and Lingshui Li autonomous county after China Central Television exposed the activity on Wednesday.

The province sent a joint working group to affected areas to investigate and supervise rectification. It ordered that tourism projects damaging mangroves and other ecosystems be halted immediately, that online platforms illegally soliciting tourists be inspected, that those responsible be strictly punished and held accountable, and that similar problems in seagrass beds and coral reefs be checked.

Mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs are Hainan's three typical marine ecosystems and precious ecological resources.

On Wednesday afternoon, Sanya and Lingshui began cracking down on illegal beachcombing. Authorities seized operating tools and roadside advertisements from illegal clubs, plus cage nets and floating docks used as mooring points in the reserve.

Sanya coordinated forestry, ecology, agriculture, public security, and law enforcement departments for a special protection campaign.

By 9 pm Wednesday, Sanya's working group had confiscated nine illegal floating docks, seized six vessels, shut down seven illegal operations, removed 19 illegal signs, and collected 840 banned cage nets. Police opened investigations into boat owners. Forestry workers repaired 11 damaged protective fences to close gaps that allowed illegal entry.

By midnight, Lingshui had questioned 18 operators, filed five cases, disposed of 13 illegal signs, seized 331 cage nets and 210 damaging tools, and cleared nets from reserve waters.

Hainan pledged stronger ecological law enforcement, better industry management, and standardized development of beachcombing and cultural tourism.