The Chinese government issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening Domestic Fishing Vessel Management and Implementing Total Marine Fisheries Resource Management" in 2017. The Notice proposed that, in addition to improving the "dual control" system of fishing vessel numbers and engine power, the implementation of a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) system should be explored through pilot projects. 

By the end of 2020, 11 coastal provinces  had each launched at least one pilot for TAC management, totaling 15 pilots. These pilots covered various types of fisheries, accumulating valuable experience for the broader implementation of the TAC system. 

NRDC, Environmental Defense Fund, and Qingdao Marine Conservation Society, in collaboration with Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Fujian Fisheries Research Institute, completed the "Progress of China’s TAC System: Evaluation Report for Zhejiang and Fujian Pilots." This study analyzed the catch monitoring and supervision systems of Zhejiang and Fujian pilots, summarized the pilot experiences and identified issues, and proposed recommendations for future improvement for policy makers.