Chinese delegation attends 37th Session of FAO Committee on Fisheries
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The United Nations flag flies on the roof of the headquarters of the United Nations agency in Rome, Italy, June 22, 2026. /VCG
A Chinese delegation attended the 37th Session of the Committee on Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), held in Rome from September 7 to 11.
During the session, China and FAO jointly hosted a side event titled "Innovations in Aquaculture Production," with discussions focusing on technological innovation, regional cooperation and development, investment support and multi-stakeholder participation.
In a keynote presentation, the Chinese delegation said China's aquaculture output reached 63.26 million tonnes in 2025, accounting for 83% of the country's total output of aquatic products. China has promoted high-quality aquaculture through advances in breeding and technology, new models such as integrated rice-fish farming, stronger sustainability requirements under the revised Fisheries Law, and South-South cooperation.
China was also invited to attend a high-level event hosted by FAO to mark the 10th anniversary of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA). The PSMA is the first binding international agreement specifically targeting IUU fishing, aimed at preventing vessels engaged in such activities from using ports and landing their catches.
Representatives from seven major fishing countries were invited to speak at the event, with China being the only representative from Asia.
At the event, the Chinese side outlined progress and measures taken since China became a Party to the Agreement in April 2025, including tightening port entry controls, announcing the first batch of 23 designated ports, standardizing vessel inspections, establishing an information platform for implementation of the Agreement, and strengthening implementation-related training and capacity building.
The Chinese delegation also set up a themed display on the 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River, highlighting China's practices and achievements in implementing the ban and conserving aquatic biodiversity. From 2021 to 2025, a total of 351 native fish species were recorded in the Yangtze River basin, 43 more than before the fishing ban. The wild population of the Yangtze finless porpoise recovered from a low of 1,012 to 1,426, while the aquatic biological integrity index continued to improve.
The FAO Committee on Fisheries is an important intergovernmental platform for global fisheries and aquaculture. China's participation in the session was an important part of its efforts to engage in global fisheries governance and deepen international cooperation in fisheries.
