BEIJING -- China released more than 150 billion aquatic juveniles of various species into its rivers, lakes and seas during the 2021-2025 period, delivering significant ecological, economic and social benefits, a senior agriculture official said.

Releasing artificially bred aquatic juveniles into natural waters is a globally recognized practice for conserving aquatic resources, restoring water ecosystems, and protecting biodiversity, Zhang Zhili, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said at a recent release event.

Experts said the practice is vital for replenishing declining aquatic populations and maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems. It can also boost fishery resources, particularly when carried out during fishing moratoriums, and support rural economic growth through recreational fishing and tourism.

The benefits are already evident. More than 90 percent of Chinese prawns caught in the Bohai Sea now come from stocked populations, while over 30 percent of large yellow croaker harvested in the East China Sea are artificially restocked fish, Zhang said.

Zhang added that more than 12 percent of released Chinese sturgeon in the Yangtze River basin have reached the ocean. In Xinjiang, the big-head schizothoracin has re-established a natural population in Bosten Lake for the first time in more than two decades.

China's four major coastal seas are currently under seasonal fishing bans, while seven major inland river systems are simultaneously observing fishing moratoriums -- a critical window for aquatic life to grow and reproduce.

Since June 5, more than 200 localities across China have held stocking events with over 500 million aquatic juveniles of numerous species released, marking the 12th consecutive year of these conservation efforts.