China Coast Guard launched the “Blue Sea 2021” special law enforcement operation in conjunction with relevant departments on April 20, 2021. Since then, Coast guard units at all levels, being problem-oriented and goal-oriented, have highlighted targeted, scientific and law-based governance through rigorous measures and achieved notable results.

First, focus on source harnessing and reinforce regular regulation. Through coastline patrol and inspection, sea patrol, remote sensing monitoring and other means, relevant departments have comprehensively intensified regular cruise of key projects, normalized patrol of hot-spot areas, and dynamic patrol at key links. Coast guard units at all levels and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment regularly organize inspections of marine (littoral) projects to strengthen full-process regulation. Provincial bureaus in Hebei, Guangdong and Hainan irregularly conduct surprise and random inspection of marine reserves in conjunction with local forestry and grassland authorities to intensify the dynamic monitoring of typical marine ecosystems. Ecology and environment departments in Tianjin, Fujian and Hainan continuously address the discharge of land-sourced pollutants and standardize the management of drainage outlets to the sea. To date, the authorities have inspected offshore (coastal) engineering and construction projects 2,281 times, dump sites and dumping projects 300 times, marine reserves 563 times, islands 892 times, offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation facilities 137 times, land-sourced sewage outlets to the sea 1,782 times, and sand sites and wharves 720 times, which indicate a larger scope of law enforcement and a considerable increase in the number of inspections.

Second, highlight prominent problems and strike hard on criminal actions. Keeping a close eye on prominent breaches such as illegal sea sand mining, illegal dumping, and harming of precious and endangered wildlife, China Coast Guard investigates and handles them rigorously in accordance with the law in order to deter the perpetrators. It regularly organizes study and analysis sessions to specify enforcement priorities. It regularly patrols around sea-sand-rich areas and other key waters and deploys personnel on the sea to conduct ceaseless, all-round patrols in key areas and on key routes of sea sand mining and transportation, maintaining high pressure on illegal activities. China Coast Guard has handled 438 sea-sand-related cases and detained 249 involved ships and about 720,000-ton sea sand, achieving much-improved effects. In combination with the three-year national water traffic safety operation, maritime law enforcement agencies crack hard down on ships sailing in inland rivers that illegally transport sand to the sea. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the China Coast Guard actively promote the “Internet Plus” dumping monitoring mode and make full use of the monitoring system to pinpoint illegal ships, leaving no blind zone in their patrol. They have handled 57 illegal dumping cases, involving nearly 500,000 cubic meters of wastes. Provincial bureaus in Hebei and Hainan take severe actions against criminal activities involving wild animals and plants and have solved 11 cases of harming precious and endangered wildlife and illegal fishing of aquatic products in natural reserves. To date, coast guard units at all levels have cracked 573 cases concerning illegal sea sand mining, unpermitted construction of marine projects without environmental impact assessment, and damage of islands and natural reserves, and imposed RMB 23.8 million administrative fines.

Third, foster a favorable atmosphere and guide the public through extensive publicity. Relevant departments leverage platforms such as official WeChat account and official website to publicize the special operation and foster a favorable atmosphere. China Coast Guard uses its official WeChat account to timely release information about the operation and expose typical cases for warning and educational purposes. Provincial bureaus in Hebei and Fujian, as well as local ecology and environment, transport and forestry and grassland departments, organized the kickoff ceremony of the operation and broadcast it via TV, newspapers and online media to expand its social influence. In publicizing the Coast Guard Law, Bureaus hung up banners, hand out brochures and set up display boards at fishing ports, wharves, enterprises and public institutions to create a favorable atmosphere. Provincial bureaus in Shanghai and Guangxi conducted legal publicity and education by sending messages regularly and organizing educational activities to mobilize the public to provide tips on criminal activities.