On June 8, the Marine Park Branch of Zhejiang Natural Protected Areas Federation was established. Zeng Jiangning, Director of the Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics of the SIO, served as the chairman of the branch, and Tan Yonghua, Deputy Director of the Coastal Zone and Island Research Center, acted as the vice chairman and secretary general of the branch. This branch is affiliated to the SIO. Representatives from 18 marine protected area management institutions and marine related research units in Zhejiang Province attended the establishment meeting.

Marine Park Branch is a professional, academic, popular science, public-welfare and non-profit social organization that is formed voluntarily by relevant groups, organizations and individuals, with marine natural protected areas as the main body, and engaged in marine protected areas or other marine related protection and management, scientific research and popularization, planning and design, consultation and evaluation, nature education, digital innovation and other undertakings. It is a bridge and link between the Party and government and the marine protection science and technology workers, those who are enthusiastic about marine protection, as well as an important social force for the development of marine ecological protection.

  At the meeting, Feng Xuwen, Director of the Development Department, delivered a speech on behalf of the affiliated unit, stating that the SIO will fully support the work of Marine Park Branch in all aspects. Wang Zhangming, President of Zhejiang Natural Protected Areas Federation, and Wu Zhongliang, Director of the Nature Reserve Management Department of Zhejiang Forestry Bureau, delivered speeches respectively, expressing their strong support for the establishment of Marine Park Branch and hoping that the SIO can effectively contribute to the development of marine protected areas in Zhejiang Province and promote the ecological civilization construction of marine protected areas.