The Hainan provincial authorities have decided to resume sea fishing operations "by regions and in batches" starting Aug 23 based on comprehensive analysis and judgment and solid progress in combating the latest COVID-19 outbreak on the tropical island, local officials said.

The first batch of cities and counties to resume sea fishing operations include Wenchang, Haikou, Qionghai, Chengmai and Changjiang. The local government will give the green light to other areas one by one when pandemic prevention and control requirements are fully met, officials said at a news briefing held in Haikou on Sunday afternoon.

The officials laid out three condition for fishing boats and fishermen to resume fishing: their residential cities or counties must realize zero social zero-COVID-19 transmission for more than 72 consecutive hours; their residential towns and villages must be epidemic-free areas or low-risk areas and the fishermen themselves have no history of traveling in high or medium-risk areas within the previous 7 days. Additionally, they need to provide a negative certificate of nucleic acid test within 48 hours before going sea fishing.

Closed-loop management will be strictly enforced for fishing boats and fishermen in distant sea waters, offshore areas, at wharfs and seafood markets to prevent transmission from overseas.