As small-scale fishers in China increasingly lose the sea areas that have supported their livelihood, it is necessary to protect fishery tenure rights.

The Blue Economy has contributed to the economic development in China in the past decades. This has also resulted in over-exploitation of marine resources and damage to the marine environment. Rural small-scale fishers in some regions have also paid the cost, losing the sea areas that have supported their life. Although there might be social relief measures for the fishers, the disadvantageous situation of this new vulnerable group cannot be easily redressed. One important reason is the weak protection of small-scale fishers’ tenure rights in Chinese laws and the difficulty in obtaining remedies when their interests are at odds with others interests.