The beautiful, but vulnerable, coral reefs will be brought under conservation schemes in Sanya, southern Hainan province. The scenic city has recently unveiled an outline regarding diving activities and tourism which aims at restricting the number of tourists and reducing the possibility of potential damages to coral reefs. [Photo: hinews.cn]

City Sanya, a noted tourist destination on south China's Hainan island, has decided to restrict the number of dive spots in an attempt to protect its vulnerable coral reefs, the Hainan Daily reports.

The plan includes a rotating scheme to be implemented along the bays and islands in Hainan province to allow each of them to have a half-year break from diving activities.

When the northwest bay, for instance, is being used as a tourist destination, the northeast bay will then be exempt from tourists for half a year. In this way the coral reefs growing in that bay will have half a year to recover. Besides, the bays will also see a reduction in the number of diving sites developed around.

In the meantime, the number of travellers to each scenic spot will be estimated according to the capacity of different underwater tourist resources, so as to bring the overall volume of tourists under control.

"Any conduct that has led to the damage of coral reefs will be subject to legal punishments," said an official with the city's bureau of tourism development. He added that people engaged in diving activities would be required to strictly comply with operation instructions.