Sustainability comparisons in the triple bottom line for Chinese fisheries

Abstract

This paper uses Fishery Performance Indicators (FPIs) to compare nine Chinese fisheries in terms of their triple bottom line (ecological, economic, and community sustainability) with the top 10% performing fisheries within the global FPIs database. The results show the largest differences between the Chinese fisheries and top-performing fisheries globally are in ecological sustainability followed by harvest sector performance and economic performance. The gaps in community sustainability and post-harvest performance are smaller. The paper also compares the nine different Chinese fisheries with each other to assess their relative performance. Zhejiang province shows signs of better fishery management with its stronger enforcement and stricter measures to tackle illegal fishing and as a result, scores higher in ecological and some economic and social dimensions.