Ocean Chapter

Overview

Marine resources

Refers to all substances and energy in the ocean that can be utilized by humans.

Classification of Marine Resources

According to their attributes, they are mainly divided into biological resources, non biological resources, and spatial resources. Biological resources include animals and plants, mainly fishery resources; Non biological resources include seawater chemical resources, seabed mineral resources, and marine dynamic resources; Marine spatial resources include vast spaces on the sea surface, above, and underwater.

Internal waters

The baseline of the coastal state's territorial sea extends towards the waters on the land side. The broad definition of internal waters includes lakes, rivers and their estuaries, inland seas, ports, harbors, straits, and other waters located within the baseline of the territorial sea. Narrowly defined, internal waters refer to the inner sea, including ports, harbors, straits, estuaries, and other sea areas on the land side of the baseline of the territorial sea.

Baseline of territorial sea

The baseline for measuring the width of the territorial sea.

Territorial Sea

The sea area of a certain width adjacent to the internal waters under the sovereign jurisdiction of a coastal state is an integral part of the national territory. China's territorial sea is a sea area within 12 nautical miles (1 nautical mile=1.852 kilometers) from the baseline of the territorial sea, with an area of approximately 380000 square kilometers.

Sea area

The surface, water bodies, seabed, and subsoil of the internal waters and territorial waters of the People's Republic of China. The sea area is a three-dimensional space: ① In the vertical direction, it not only refers to the water surface, but also includes the water body, seabed, and subsoil below the water surface. ② In the horizontal direction, the sea area includes China's internal waters and territorial waters, with a clear boundary range.

Coastal waters

The entire sea area on the landward side of China's territorial sea baseline, as well as the sea area and inland sea where the territorial sea baseline has not yet been announced, refers to the entire sea area on the landward side of the negative 10 meter isobath.

Coastal waters

Coastal waters near the mainland coast, where hydrological factors are greatly influenced by land meteorological conditions and runoff.

Offshore waters

Refers to the sea area 20 nautical miles parallel to the outer boundary of the nearshore waters.

Far sea area

Refers to all the waters under the jurisdiction of China on the outer boundary of the nearshore waters.

Coastal Line

The sea land boundary formed by the traces of the average high tide line. Geographically, it can be roughly divided into four main types: bedrock coast, sandy coast, silty coast, and biotic coast.

Coastal zone

The zone where the ocean and land interact. Composed of three basic units: ① Coast. The coastal land portion above the average high tide line is usually referred to as the intertidal zone; ② Intertidal zone. Between the average high tide line and the average low tide line; ③ Underwater bank slope. The shallow water below the average low tide line is usually referred to as the subtidal zone. In addition, the coastal zone also includes estuaries and harbors.

Island

A small piece of land scattered in the ocean.

Gulf

The part of the sea or ocean that extends into land and gradually decreases in depth. Usually three sides are land and one side is sea.

Contiguous zone

The adjacent waters outside the territorial sea are connected to the territorial sea, with a width of 12 nautical miles.

Continental shelf

The original geological and geographical concept refers to a shallow sea area that surrounds the continent, extending outward from the coastal zone, with a gradient that gradually increases to the slope break of the continental shelf. The average gradient is 0.1 degrees, with an average outer depth of 130 meters and an average width of 75 kilometers. The total area is approximately 27.1 million square kilometers, accounting for 7.5% of the total ocean area. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1982, defines the concept of the continental shelf as follows: the continental shelf of a coastal State includes the seabed and subsoil of the seabed area extending beyond its territorial sea and extending naturally to the continental margin. The continental margin includes the submerged extension of the coastal State's land mass, consisting of the seabed and subsoil of the continental shelf, slope, and land.

Exclusive Economic Zone

The width of an area with a specific legal system outside and adjacent to the territorial sea shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baseline of the territorial sea. ##Sea use

Marine Economy

The total sum of various industries and related economic activities related to the development and utilization of the ocean.

Marine functional zoning

It is a fundamental work that divides the sea area into different types and optimal functional areas based on the natural resource conditions, environmental conditions, and geographical location of the sea area, combined with the current situation of marine development and utilization and the needs of social and economic development, providing scientific basis for marine development, protection, and management. It is an important means and measure to scientifically guide ocean demand, coordinate the layout of ocean resource development and utilization, and promote the coordinated development of ocean development and environmental protection.

Besieging the sea

The use of the sea for marine development activities by enclosing all or part of the sea area in a closed form through the construction of embankments or other means.

Land reclamation through land reclamation

The method of using the sea by building embankments, cutting off sea areas, filling them with land, and forming effective shorelines.

Non permeable structures for sea use

The use of non permeable methods to construct structures such as docks, piers, approach dikes, breakwaters, and roadbeds that do not form a reclamation or effective shoreline.

Permeable structures for sea use

The use of permeable methods to construct structures such as docks, sea surface piers, stilted houses, and artificial reefs for sea use.

Open sea use

The sea use method of directly utilizing the sea area for development activities without carrying out land reclamation, enclosing the sea, or setting up structures.

Regional construction sea

The sea use method of constructing multiple construction projects within the same reclaimed land area. The sea area is generally not less than 50 hectares.

Demonstration of Sea Area Use

Through scientific investigation, research, calculation, analysis, and prediction, conduct a feasibility analysis of the proposed development sea area and provide corresponding written materials to achieve the goals of scientific sea use, standardized management, and sustainable sea use.

Preliminary review of sea use

The marine administrative department shall, based on the applicant's application for the use of the sea area, issue a preliminary review opinion on the use of the sea for projects included in the national and provincial basic construction management procedures in accordance with relevant national regulations before project approval and verification.

Right to use the sea area

Units or individuals obtain exclusive use rights of specific sea areas owned by the state in accordance with the law.

Classification of Sea Use

According to certain principles, classify the types of sea use and define their sea use methods.

Registration of Sea Use Rights

The registration of ownership, area, use, location, use period, and other related rights derived from the use of sea areas in accordance with the law, including initial registration, change registration, and cancellation registration of sea area use rights.

Statistics on Sea Area Use

The activity of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data reflecting the management of maritime use rights and the paid use of maritime areas by various levels of marine administrative authorities.

Paid use of sea areas

Units and individuals using sea areas must pay sea use fees in accordance with the law.

The maximum term of the right to use the sea area

According to the purpose, the sea for aquaculture will be used for 15 years; Dismantling ships and using the sea for 20 years; 25 years of using the sea for tourism and entertainment; Salt and mining industries use the sea for 30 years; 40 years of using the sea for public welfare; Construction projects such as ports and shipyards will use the sea for 50 years.

Transfer of Sea Use Rights

The act of legally transferring the right to use the sea area by the holder of the right to use the sea area, such as selling, gifting, valuing shares, exchanging, etc. The transfer of the right to use the sea area requires approval from the original approved people's government for sea use.

Mortgage of maritime use rights

The act of the holder of the right to use the sea area mortgaging the use of the sea area in accordance with the law. The mortgage of the right to use the sea area requires the holder of the right to use the sea area to go through the mortgage registration procedures at the marine administrative department of the original approved people's government for sea use.

Cancellation registration of sea use rights

Registration for the termination of the right to use the sea area. The reasons for termination of sea use rights include: expiration of sea use rights, abandonment of sea use rights by sea use rights holders, revocation of sea use rights by relevant departments due to illegal activities, and revocation of sea use rights due to public interests or national security needs.

Continuation of Sea Use Rights

After the expiration of the right to use the sea area, upon application by the holder of the right to use the sea area, the original approved people's government agrees to continue using the sea area.

Early revocation of maritime use rights

The act of the people's government that originally approved the use of the sea to revoke the right to use the sea area in advance in accordance with the law due to public interest or national security needs.

Dynamic monitoring and surveillance of sea use

The marine administrative authorities use satellite remote sensing, aerial remote sensing, and ground monitoring methods to conduct real-time monitoring and surveillance of nearshore and other development activity areas.

Maritime boundary survey

Demarcate the administrative boundaries of the sea area.

Coastline survey

According to relevant national laws, regulations, and technical specifications, accurately measure data related to the coastline and clarify the specific location of the coastline.

Survey and Investigation of Submarine Cable Pipeline Routing

Route investigation and survey conducted by owners of submarine cables and pipelines for laying.

Construction of laying submarine cable pipelines

After the investigation and survey of submarine cables and pipeline routes are completed, the owner will lay and construct them.

Temporary use of the sea

Exclusive use of specific sea areas within the internal waters and territorial waters of the People's Republic of China for less than three months. ##Marine environmental protection

Classification of Marine Environment

The marine environment is a very complex system, and there is currently no unified classification method. Generally, it can be classified according to the regional characteristics of the marine environment, the elements of the marine environment, and human utilization, management, or functions of the marine environment. According to the regional or divided marine environment, it can be divided into estuaries, bays, coastal waters, nearshore, offshore, oceans, etc; From the needs of marine chemistry research and marine environmental factors, it can be divided into seawater, sediments, marine organisms, and the atmosphere above the sea surface; From the perspective of marine environmental functions and management, it can be divided into tourist areas, coastal beaches, nature reserves, fishing areas, aquaculture areas, oil development zones, ports, waterway areas, etc.

Marine Environmental Management

The marine administrative authorities use administrative and scientific means to achieve the management of rational development of marine resources, prevention and control of pollution, and maintenance of ecological balance.

Marine environmental capacity

The maximum pollutant load that a certain sea area can accept, while fully utilizing the self purification capacity of the ocean and not causing marine pollution damage.

Marine Environmental Assessment

The evaluation and prediction of the water quality, sediment, and ecological environment of a certain sea area based on different purpose requirements and environmental standards.

Marine environmental quality

The overall suitability of the marine environment or its elements such as water quality, sediment, or biota for human survival, reproduction, and socio-economic development is a concept formed by reflecting the specific requirements of human beings for the assessment of the marine environment.

Marine Environmental Protection Plan

To properly handle the relationship between ocean development and environmental protection, protect the marine environment and resources, prevent pollution damage, maintain ecological balance, and ensure the rational development and utilization of the marine environment and resources, in order to create a more beautiful working and living environment.

Marine ecosystem

Also known as marine ecosystem. It is a natural system composed of the interaction between biological communities and their environment in the ocean.

Marine resource conservation

By implementing measures such as planned harvesting, artificial reproduction, and pollution prevention, we aim to sustainably utilize and prevent the destruction of natural resources at sea.

Ocean Engineering

New construction, renovation, and expansion projects aimed at developing, utilizing, protecting, and restoring marine resources, with the main project located on the seaward side of the coastline.

Coastal engineering

Basic construction projects, technological transformation projects, and regional development engineering construction projects located on or connected to the coast, aimed at controlling seawater or utilizing the ocean to complete some or all functions, and having an impact on the marine environment.

Marine Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Report (Form)

A document that predicts and evaluates changes in natural conditions such as water quality environment, sediment environment, ecological environment, topography and erosion environment, hydrodynamic environment, atmospheric environment, radioactive environment, and environmental accidents, as well as their environmental impacts during the construction, renovation, and expansion of projects. The evaluation content and focus vary depending on the project. According to the evaluation level, it is divided into the Marine Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Marine Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Report Form.

Ocean dumping

The act of disposing of waste and other substances into the ocean using ships, aircraft, platforms, or other means of transportation.

Marine dumping area

A special sea area designated by the national competent authority according to certain procedures, based on the principles of science, rationality, safety, and economy, and approved and published by the state for the purpose of receiving dumped waste.

Temporary dumping area

A one-time dedicated dumping area designated for engineering needs or other reasons. It is commonly used for the dumping of dredged materials in port engineering, and the dumping area is terminated and closed upon completion of the relevant projects.

Monitoring of marine dumping areas

To understand the environmental conditions of the dumping area, regular or irregular testing of environmental elements should be conducted.

Marine dumping permit system

The dumping application form shall be filled out by the unit applying for dumping in accordance with the legal procedures, reviewed and approved by the competent department, and a permit shall be issued. A permit is a certificate issued by the competent authority in accordance with the law to allow dumping.

Dredged material

Dredging, excavating deep harbors and waterways, as well as removing soil, gravel, and other materials from underwater and shore projects.

Dredging project

Generally refers to the use of dredgers for underwater excavation of soil and rock, transporting the soil to the dumping area, and completing the predetermined excavation area and depth of the project.

Marine pollution prevention

Prevent and remove marine fouling organisms, fouling ships, and pollution from offshore buildings.

Wastewater discharge standards

In order to control water pollution, protect the good state of water quality of rivers, lakes, oceans and other surface water bodies and groundwater bodies, safeguard human health and maintain ecological balance, the state stipulates the maximum allowable discharge concentration of pollutants in sewage and wastewater according to the water quality requirements of specific waters.

Tide gauge station

Install tide gauges at selected seaside locations for long-term observation of tidal changes.

Tidal well

A well shaped building specifically designed for observing tides at the seaside.

Clean up the sea area

Sea areas that meet the national seawater quality standards for Class I seawater quality are suitable for marine fishery waters, marine nature reserves, and rare and endangered marine life reserves.

Cleaner sea area

The sea areas that meet the Class II seawater quality standards of the national seawater quality standards are suitable for aquaculture areas, beaches, marine sports or entertainment areas where the human body comes into direct contact with seawater, and industrial water use areas directly related to human consumption.

Mildly polluted sea area

Sea areas that meet the national seawater quality standards for Class III seawater quality are suitable for general industrial water use areas.

Moderately polluted sea area

The sea areas that meet the four categories of seawater quality in the national seawater quality standards are only applicable to marine port waters and marine development operation areas.

Severely polluted sea areas

Sea areas that are inferior to the four categories of seawater quality in the national seawater quality standards.

Marine monitoring

Using unified and comparable sampling and detection methods within a designed time and space, to obtain data on marine environmental quality elements and land-based marine materials, in order to elucidate their spatiotemporal distribution, variation patterns, and the entire process of their relationship with ocean development, utilization, and protection.

Assessment of discharge status of land-based marine discharge outlets

Based on the investigation and monitoring data and information of land-based discharge into the sea, various evaluation methods are applied to assess and evaluate the discharge status.

Ecological environment assessment of the sea area adjacent to the land-based discharge outlet into the sea

Based on the investigation and monitoring data and information of seawater quality, sediment quality, biological quality, and the status of large benthic organisms in the vicinity of the land-based discharge outlet into the sea, various evaluation methods are applied to assess and evaluate the overall ecological environment of the sea area.

Marine life monitoring

A marine pollution monitoring method that uses the responses of individual marine organisms, populations, or communities to marine environmental pollution or its changes to determine the status of marine pollution.

Chemical oxygen consumption

The amount of oxidant consumed by reducing substances in water that are easily oxidized by strong oxidants is converted to the amount of oxygen.

Active phosphate

The dissolved inorganic phosphorus in the form of orthophosphate ions in seawater.

Shellfish toxin

Some marine shellfish contain toxins similar to dolphin toxins.

Ocean observation

Long term fixed-point continuous observation of ocean phenomena and elements at ocean observation stations located on the shore or islands.

Seawall

To prevent seawater intrusion, coastline retreat, and protect the safety of coastal towns and factory facilities, protective buildings parallel to the coastline are constructed at the junction of seawater and land.

Ocean forecast

The energy flux exchange status of the sea surface water air interface, including mechanical and thermal energy conditions. Ocean forecasting includes sea conditions, waves, temperature, salinity, etc.

Wave forecast

The external conditions, meteorological and geographical environment, water depth, etc. related to the generation, development, attenuation, and propagation of waves are combined with the initial wave conditions in the sea area, and the future wave conditions in the sea area are calculated based on the given wave forecasting model.

Ocean tide

The phenomenon of long-term fluctuations in marine water caused by tidal forces acting on seawater.

Marine climate

The general state of the atmosphere on the ocean over many years.

Tropical Cyclone

A strong warm cyclonic vortex that occurs in tropical or subtropical oceans. ##Marine disasters

Red tide

An ecological anomaly phenomenon in which some microalgae, protozoa, or bacteria in the ocean undergo explosive proliferation or aggregation to a certain level under certain environmental conditions, causing water discoloration or posing a threat to other marine organisms. Red tide has multiple colors.

Red tide monitoring

A monitoring system and network established in red tide prone areas.

Diarrhea Beisu

Nine DSP toxins have been isolated from shellfish contaminated with red tide organisms.

Eutrophication

Nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) are the basic substances that make up biological resources. The excessive increase of nutrients in water bodies can lead to eutrophication. If a large amount of organic matter accumulates, various rich substances will be produced and the water quality will deteriorate.

Nutrient contamination

Pollution caused by excessive levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus salts) in the marine environment.

Land source discharge outlet into the sea

The outlet for discharging sewage directly from land to the sea, but excluding the mudflat aquaculture outlet.

Seawater intrusion

Due to natural or human factors, changes in the hydrodynamic conditions of groundwater in coastal areas disrupt the balance between freshwater and seawater in the aquifer, leading to the phenomenon of seawater or highly mineralized saline groundwater with hydraulic connections expanding along the aquifer towards land.

Coastal erosion

Under the action of natural forces such as wind, waves, currents, and tides, coastal sediment expenditure exceeds input, resulting in a net loss of sediment.

Sea flooding

The phenomenon of land subsidence, seawater intrusion into land, and coastline moving towards land.

Sea erosion

The physical, chemical, and biological shaping effects of dynamic factors such as waves and currents on the coast.

Marine average

The direct or indirect losses suffered by ships or goods during shipping due to maritime accidents or other unexpected incidents.

Soil salinization

The process of accumulating salt in soil to form saline soil.

Marine debris

Persistent, man-made, or processed solid materials discarded in marine and coastal environments, including used objects intentionally disposed of by humans in the sea and coastal areas; Intentionally discarded objects carried directly into the sea by rivers, sewage, storms, or strong winds; Unexpectedly lost fishing gear, goods, etc. under adverse weather conditions.

Oil spill at sea

Oil spills caused by accidents during offshore exploration, development, transportation, processing, and use of petroleum.

Marine pollution

Human beings directly or indirectly introduce substances (living and non living) or energy into the marine environment (including estuaries and harbors), resulting in harmful effects such as damage to biological resources, harm to human health, obstruction of marine activities including fisheries, damage to seawater quality, and reduction or destruction of environmental quality.

Marine pollution monitoring

Systematic and chronological observations of predetermined pollutants and appropriate components in marine ecosystems within sufficient time to determine the existing levels and trends of the measured components.

Marine pollution control

The total amount of pollutants entering the marine environment is limited based on the capacity of the marine environment.

Marine oil pollution

Pollution caused by petroleum and its products entering the marine environment during the development, refining, storage, transportation, and use process.

Suspended solids

Various suspended particles, including colloids, with varying degrees of dispersion in seawater.

Marine suspended solids pollution

The damage to the marine environment caused by excessive suspended solids in marine water due to human activities.

Pollutants from offshore oil exploration and development

Any substance used or generated in offshore oil exploration and development operations that is discharged into the ocean and may affect the marine ecological environment.

Marine sewage disposal

Discharge sewage from onshore treatment facilities into the ocean through a discharge system underwater.

Tsunami

The long-period small amplitude scattered waves caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or underwater collapses and landslides can reach the shore at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour, forming fierce and harmful giant waves.

Storm surge

The phenomenon of abnormal changes in sea surface caused by strong atmospheric disturbances, strong winds, typhoons, temperate cyclones, and sudden pressure fluctuations.

Typhoon

A strong cyclonic vortex with a warm central structure and typhoon eye area that occurs in the western North Pacific and South China Sea.

Waves

Waves caused by wind in the ocean. Refers to wind waves, surges, and nearshore waves.

Spring tide

The tidal phenomenon that occurs when the main semidiurnal tidal phases of Taiyin and the main semidiurnal tidal phases of the Sun coincide, and the two are superimposed.

Big waves

A wind wave with an effective wave height ranging from 1.25 to 2.5 meters and an average period of about 4.5 to 6.0 seconds.

Crazy waves

Wind waves with significant wave heights ranging from 4.0 to 6.0 meters and an average period of 7.0 to 8.0 seconds.

Nutao

The effective wave height is in the range of 9-14 meters, with an average period of 1-12 seconds. The top edge of the wave crest breaks into waves and begins to roll over.

Astronomical tide

The periodic rise and fall of sea surface height caused by the tidal force of celestial bodies. ##Marine ecological protection

Marine Nature Reserve

The state designates protected areas around endangered or rare marine animals and plants, as well as marine natural landscapes, natural ecosystems, historical sites, etc.

Marine Special Protection Area

An area that adopts effective protection measures and scientific development methods for special management of areas with special geographical conditions, ecosystems, biological and non biological resources, and special needs for marine development and utilization.

Coastal Lagoon

A shallow water area isolated from the sea by narrow and low-lying sandbars or coral reefs.

Coastal wetlands

The areas between brackish water, shallow water lakes, swamps, and corresponding river sections connected to the outflow river basin from 6 meters below sea level to above the high tide level of the spring tide.

Coastal sand dunes

A sandy accumulation landform with undulating waves parallel to the coast.

Ecological monitoring

Monitoring of various biological communities and their living environments at the ecosystem level. Ecological monitoring is the observation and evaluation of the response of ecosystems to natural changes and human activities, and is a measure of the spatiotemporal pattern changes in the structure and function of ecosystems.

Estuary of the sea

The section where the end of a river combines with the ocean. This includes both the lower reaches of rivers affected by ocean factors and coastal areas affected by river factors. The upper bound is at a certain section where the impact of water level changes caused by tides or water increase disappears, and the lower bound is at the outer boundary of the coastal shoals formed by river sediment entering the sea; Or the upper boundary is the saltwater intrusion boundary, and the lower boundary is the mouth of the estuary.

Sensitive areas of marine ecological environment

The marine ecological environment has high functional goals and is difficult to restore after damage. This includes spawning grounds for marine fishery resources, important fishing grounds, marine aquaculture areas, coastal wetlands, marine nature reserves, rare and endangered marine biodiversity reserves, typical marine ecosystems, etc.

Biological purification

Microorganisms and algae, among other organisms, degrade or transform pollutants into low toxicity or non-toxic substances through their metabolic processes.

Wenchang fish

Wenchang fish is a relatively advanced primitive animal, which is a transitional type from invertebrates to vertebrates.