The marine ecology in Zhanjiang has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years, with water quality in its offshore areas meeting the highest or second-highest levels in the country's four-tier water quality rating system.

Zhanjiang Ocean and Fisheries Bureau has set up 255 observation stations in sea areas near Leizhou Peninsula with monitored indexes covering water temperature, salinity and PH levels. The results show that water in the city is relatively clean, allowing humans to have direct contact with it while playing water sports or fishing.

In order to protect its marine ecosystem, Zhanjiang has spent 21.5 million yuan ($ 3.25 million) on projects for releasing endangered species and seedlings of aquatic products in recent years. Some 2.07 billion fishes and shrimps, 4.8 million shellfishes, 1.55 million swimming crabs, 725,000 Chinese horseshoe crabs, as well as 226 turtles have been released.

Moreover, the city has built nine artificial reefs at a cost of 62.93 million yuan and purchased seven ships to perform marine patrols and law enforcement.

Zhanjiang is now home to 17 marine and fishery reserves, including two national nature reserves, two national ocean parks and one national aquatic resources conservation area. Both the number and superficies of the city's marine nature reserves rank top in the Guangdong province.