With the opening of the South China Sea fishing season on Monday after the end of the annual three-and-a-half-month fishing moratorium ended, fishing boats began carrying the bountiful harvest of the sea back to Sanya. Early the morning of August 19, they docked at Sanya’s Yazhou Fishing Port, and began carrying baskets of fresh seafood ashore.

As of four o'clock in the morning, baskets of fish, shrimp and crabs were being brought onto shore to sell to eager consumers. Damply glistening beneath the street lights, all sorts of delicacies immediately started being bought both by savvy residential customers and the city’s restaurants.

Early in the morning of August 19, a fisherman is seen at Sanya’s Yazhou Fishing Port cleaning darkfin pike eels.

Photo/Sha Xiaofeng

Early in the morning of August 19, a buyer is seen picking over the best flower crabs at Sanya Yazhou Fishing Port.

Photo/Sha Xiaofeng

A customer and a fishermen engaging in trade.

Photo/Sha Xiaofeng

A pre-dawn display of fresh sea fish on crushed ice at Sanya’s Yazhou Fishing Port.

Photo/Sha Xiaofeng

Early in the morning of August 19, fishermen are seen busily unloading seafood from their boats at Sanya’s Yazhou Fishing Port.

Photo/Sha Xiaofeng

Early in the morning of August 19, fishermen are seen busily unloading seafood from their boats at Sanya’s Yazhou Fishing Port.

Photo/Sha Xiaofeng