The Law on Protection of the Ocean Environment was promulgated
in 1982, amended in 1999 and put into effect in April 2000. The
amended law applies to the supervision and management of the ocean
environment; to the surveying, monitoring, assessing and conducting
of scientific research of the ocean environment; to construction
projects for control of ocean pollution; and to ending pollution
through ocean dumping.?
The Blue Sea Action Program in the Bohai Sea, off the coast of
North China and one of the country's most populous and developed
areas, has made several restrictions on discharge of wastes
produced by marine oil (gas) fields and ships and ocean
dumping.
At present, over 80 natural marine reserves have been established
throughout China, state-level reserves accounting for 24 of the
total. These protect: marine shoreline, estuary and island
bio-environments of great value for research, education and natural
history; endangered marine animals (e.g., Chinese white dolphin)
and their habitats; and typical oceanic eco-systems such as coral
reefs and coastal wetlands.
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