Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of oil spills and dispersants on the growth of the red tide organism Chaetoceros sp. Crude oil produced from the Chinese Bohai Sea, diesel oil, and the chemical dispersant (GM-2) produced in China were added into Chaetoceros sp. cultures. The results showed that both crude oil and diesel oil could enhance the growth of Chaetoceros sp. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and the confidence interval was 95%. At a concentration of 20 mg L⁻¹ crude oil and a concentration of 10 μL L⁻¹ diesel oil, Chaetoceros sp. bloomed to 1.57 × 10⁵ cells mL⁻¹ (p < 0.01) at day 14 and 3.55 × 10⁴ cells mL⁻¹ (p < 0.05) at day 10, respectively. A concentration of 10 μL L⁻¹ diesel oil stimulated the specific growth rate for Chaetoceros sp. of 0.49 d⁻¹ over 10 days. The specific growth rate of Chaetoceros sp. with 20 mg L⁻¹ crude oil alone was 0.46 d⁻¹ over 14 days. However, the mixture of oil and dispersant did not enhance the growth of Chaetoceros sp. as significantly as oil alone. These results implied that oil spills in coastal waters can stimulate Chaetoceros sp., and the specific dispersant GM-2 applied following oil spills may be unlikely to further enhance the growth of Chaetoceros sp.

As the world’s largest producer of fish, China has faced significant challenges in developing its fisheries. Over the past four decades, China has implemented and adjusted multiple regulations and measures to reverse the decline of aquatic resources and achieve sustainable fisheries. This study analyzes the production trends and efforts during the period 1980–2019, highlighting the key features of and structural shifts in China’s fisheries. Our results reveal a significant shift in seafood production from capture to aquaculture and from offshore to inshore waters. Moreover, China’s fishery policy has transitioned from resource exploitation to ecological conservation, with aquaculture production in 2019 being nearly 38 times higher than that in 1980. However, not all the management measures have been successful; for example, the “Dual Control” policy failed to achieve its goals. Despite this, some measures that require adjustments, such as the “Aquatic Germplasm Resource Reserves” and “Nature Reserve for Aquatic Animals and Plants” policies, show promise for further improving the sustainability of China’s fisheries, particularly if the focus is on marine resources.