An aerial view of Dachen Island in Taizhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]

Three coastal locations in East China's Zhejiang province — Dachen Island in Taizhou, Putuo district in Zhoushan, and Hua'ao Island in Ningbo — were recognized as national model cases for marine ecological protection and restoration by the Ministry of Natural Resources on June 8.

Once plagued by shrinking beaches, scattered waste, and shoreline erosion, Dachen Island has undergone comprehensive restoration since 2019.

Taizhou's Jiaojiang district cleared and replenished 0.9 kilometers of beach, reinforced 2.5 kilometers of eroded coastline, and restored more than 96 hectares of forest. Today, over 60 percent of the island is forested. With these efforts, coastal tourism has boomed — the number of local guesthouses has grown to nearly 50, and monthly tourist visits now peak at over 82,000.

In Zhoushan's Putuo district, home to one of China's largest natural fishing ports, Shenjiamen, rapid urbanization and marine pollution once threatened the area's ecological balance.

From 2017 to 2020, authorities dredged the entire fishing port zone, relocated over 10 shoreline enterprises, restored 3.5 kilometers of industrial coastline, demolished 18 abandoned docks, and recovered more than 150,000 square meters of wetland.

The harbor now supports integrated development combining fisheries, tourism, business, and residential functions. In 2024, Putuo welcomed 17.63 million tourist visits, a 7 percent increase year-on-year, while value added from the marine tertiary sector reached 25.52 billion yuan ($3.55 billion) — up 20.7 percent from 2017.

On Hua'ao Island in Ningbo's Xiangshan county, known for its 5-kilometer volcanic coastline, the "Blue Bay" initiative launched in 2016 has restored over 60,000 square meters of beach, rehabilitated rocky shores and abandoned mines, and upgraded 6.76 kilometers of coastal defenses.

The island now boasts an 83.03 percent natural coastline retention rate and 75.49 percent vegetation coverage, with less than 3 percent of land developed. Biodiversity has rebounded, with 92 intertidal species, 119 types of fish and crustaceans, and 157 bird species recorded.

In 2024, tourism rose by 43.1 percent year-on-year, generating 36.15 million yuan in revenue. E-commerce has helped island-grown agricultural and seafood products reach national markets, turning ecological value into economic growth.