A ban, introduced on April 16, on the fishing of hairtails in their conservation zone covers about 7,200 sq km, according to a notice issued by the Zhejiang Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, to protect resources in the East China Sea.

It is the first time the province introduced such a regulation to ensure the survival of the fish, according to Qianjiang Evening News.

The moratorium will last until July 1.

Fishery administration ships will be used to enforce the ban.

Chen Guoguang, an official with the Regional Bureau of the East China Sea Fishery Management under the Ministry of Agriculture, said that the number of wild hairtails in the East China Sea has been decreasing in recent years due to over-fishing.

Last year alone their numbers decreased by 40 percent over the year, he said.

Other major fish groups, yellow croaker, small yellow croaker and inkfish, in the sea are near extinction.

The conservative zone is the most important breeding area for fish like hairtails and yellow croaker. Their numbers indicate the stability of the fishing industry in East China Sea, Chen said.

The regulation also forbids fishing for shrimp, a vital food for hairtails.