China’s most comprehensive marine survey paints a grim picture of China’s coastal resources. The unpublished report of the eight-year national marine survey of the Chinese State Oceanic Administration (SOA) show that about 90 per cent of coastal cities suffer from intermittent water shortages, while land reclamation has claimed 73 per cent of China’s mangrove swamps and 57 per cent of its coastal wetlands.
The survey also showed heavy pollution with 48 estuaries contaminated by industrial discharges containing heavy metals and other contaminants. The dire situation of China’s coastal waters are shown to affect food resources, with the report warning that fishery resources are on a general decline.
Click here to read the story.
