According to Xinhua (Qingdao) International Ocean Information Center, since 
Yantai launched the "Clean Beach" campaign to engage all the coastal districts 
and county-level cities in cleaning up floating garbage and domestic waste from 
the rivers, mudflats and the coastal zone, a total of 875 tons of waste in 125 
locations have been cleaned up by this December. The coastal zone stretching 
nearly 10,000 meters that used to be messy has taken on a clean and fresh look. 

Yantai, situated in Shandong Peninsula, gives top priority to ecological 
protection in recent years. Measures have been strengthened to manage marine 
resources and restore ecological environment, laying the foundation for 
sustainable development and improving people's living environment.

Facing both the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, Yantai has a sea area of 26,000 
square kilometers, ranking among the top in China based on the marine economy. 
According to Zhang Shuping, Secretary of the CPC Yantai Municipal Committee, 
Yantai is striving to explore the path of marine ecological conservation and 
accumulate experience for the whole country.

Most coastal areas face the common problem of declining inshore fishery 
resources. Yantai, as a seaside city and home to the largest number of 
national-level marine ranch, deems marine ranch development as an important way 
to grow fishery resources, protect biodiversity and develop marine culture. In 
this process, Yantai pays attention to striking a balance between land and sea 
and between aquaculture and eco-protection. It encourages and supports relevant 
enterprises to build circular culture workshops and to efficiently treat the 
waste water which has realized comprehensive waste utilization and regional 
water use circulation. The water quality in the aquaculture area is being 
monitored at all times. Last year, the good quality rate of the sea area in the 
Bohai Sea under Yantai's jurisdiction reached 98.62%, up 26% from the 
previously year. And the good quality rate of the inshore sea area exceeded 
99%, up 15% year on year.

Yantai is committed to the restoration of the coastal zone. It has enacted a 
series of new regulations such as the Regulations on Coastal Zone Protection of 
Yantai, and implemented the eco-protection and restoration project for Changdao 
Island, where comprehensive pilot marine eco-culture zone has been established 
to restore the natural coastline and save it from receding. In the past three 
years, 2 billion yuan has been invested to restore the marine ecology of 
Changdao and over 40 kilometers of coastal zone has been restored. With the 
beautiful ocean environment, Changdao Island has seen its tourism booming. At 
present, there are 14,000 people working in the tourism sector in Changdao, 
accounting for 1/3 of the total population. More are joining this line of work 
to earn a better life.   

With constant efforts, now various kinds of algae rarely seen in the past years 
such as zostera marina and gloiopetis appear again in Changdao. So do white 
finless porpoise and whales. The quantities of such species as oriental white 
stork, harbor seal and the Chinese egret, whose habitats require high 
ecological quality, have also increased. Tang Junwei, deputy director of 
Changdao Economic Promotion Center says, "There are 30 more kinds of algae than 
there was five years ago. Some economic species such as hairtail and prawns of 
the Bohai Bay have doubled in quantity. The vanished fishing season has 
returned on a small scale." 

Mr. Ye, a local resident says, "Great changes have taken place in Yantai these 
years. After the coastal zone has been repaired, there are now several sea bays 
for leisure and recreation in the city. We can enjoy the clear seawater and 
fine sand beach close to our house. It is very nice to walk and work out by the 
sea during weekends."

Source: Xinhua (Qingdao) International Ocean Information Center