Hundreds of fishing boats set sail from ports in Qingdao, Shandong province on Sept 1 with high hopes for a good catch, as the recent four-month fishing moratorium in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea ended the same day.

The summer fishing moratorium is part of China's effort to promote sustainable fishery development and improve the marine ecology.

The Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea's four-month fishing moratorium was lifted on Sept 1 and fishing boats are now fully prepared for a good catch this autumn. [Photo/IC]

Fishing boats head out to sea from Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

An aerial photo taken on Sept 1 shows fishing boats start the fishing season in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

A fisherman checks his boat before departing the port in Qingdao, Shandong province on Sept 1. [Photo/IC]

Fishing boats return to the sea with nets to catch fish after the four-month fishing moratorium ended in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea. [Photo/IC]