The annual summer fishing moratorium ended at noon Saturday in the South China Sea and parts of the East China Sea, with tens of thousands of fishing vessels setting sail from coastal provinces including Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi.

In Guangdong, more than 1,800 boats departed from major fishing ports in Yangjiang and Shanwei, joining the province’s fleet of about 21,000 vessels heading for fishing grounds across the South China Sea.

In Fujian, nearly 250 vessels left Fuzhou’s Huangqi Central Fishing Port for the Mindong fishing grounds, while more than 1,000 boats departed from Guangxi’s Qisha Fishing Port on Sunday.

Authorities inspected fishing nets to ensure compliance with regulations protecting juvenile fish, while law enforcement vessels escorted fleets for safe departures.

The fishing season is also expected to support seafood processing and marine tourism along the coast.