Sitting quietly by the lake, away from the hustle and bustle, watching the shimmering surface of the water, appreciating the majestic landscape, waiting for the float on the water to twitch, and then raising the rod to reel in the line... With the rise in living standards and the diversification of entertainment options, fishing has become one of the main ways people engage in leisure activities. An increasing number of consumers are joining the ranks of modern anglers. Fishing is not only a leisure and recreational activity but also a lucrative industry. The demand for fishing equipment is becoming increasingly diverse, including fishing rods, hooks, reels, lines, and bait. It has immense market potential and is emerging as a distinctive feature in economic development.
A Fishing Boom
The relaxation and enjoyment of fishing are attracting an increasing number of people.
China is a major manufacturer of fishing supplies worldwide. In recent years, domestic fishing products have been highly favored by overseas consumers for their exquisite craftsmanship and outstanding performance, with products exported globally.
A sturdy, lightweight reel is essential for a quality fishing rod. Ningbo Source in Europe Co., Ltd. is a modern enterprise specializing in the research, development, manufacturing, and sales of fishing reels. The company has independently developed spinning reel types, drum reel types, and Haba reel types. With over 100 series and more than 1,000 varieties, the products are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, including Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia, and Japan.
"Several world-renowned fishing supply companies have proactively proposed long-term and friendly strategic collaborations with us," introduced Hu Xuefei, a salesperson from the company's Foreign Trade Department. "The Certificate of Origin is a critical document for our international ventures, allowing our products to benefit from preferential tariff treatments abroad, thereby substantially enhancing our international competitiveness." In 2024, Ningbo Customs issued Certificates of Origin for fishing gear-related products totaling nearly RMB 90 million, marking a 3.23% increase compared to the previous year. In January of this year, Ningbo Customs issued Certificates of Origin for fishing gear-related products amounting to RMB 11.9276 million, marking a year-on-year growth of 16.2%.
The thriving fishing supplies industry reflects the vitality and dynamism of Ningbo's manufacturing sector. Next, Ningbo Customs will intensify efforts to synchronize policies and markets, enabling the "small fishing rod" to create a "big industry," thereby serving as a vivid example of promoting high-quality local economic development and benefiting businesses and the public.
According to Xiamen Customs, in 2024, Fujian's exports of fishing supplies will reach RMB 650 million, reflecting a 15.9% increase over the previous year and ranking fifth nationwide in export value. The products are exported to more than 100 countries and regions around the world.
Data show that ASEAN and the United States are Fujian's main export markets for fishing supplies, with Fujian exporting RMB 250 million and RMB 150 million to them respectively in 2024, marking increases of 61.4% and 13% over the previous year. Together, they account for over 60% of Fujian's total fishing supplies export value during the same period. In addition, Latin America, as an emerging market, has shown significant growth, with exports to this market reaching RMB 46.65 million in 2024, a 69.8% increase over the previous year. Private enterprises play a prominent role as the "main force," with exports of RMB 500 million in 2024, an increase of 16.8% over the previous year, accounting for 77.4% of the total export value of fishing supplies during the same period.
"With the rise in the global popularity of fishing, it has presented our company with a rare opportunity. In 2024, the export value of Oukai fishing supplies exceeded RMB 60 million, an increase of approximately 20% over the previous year," said Zhu Zhiyong, Manager of Dongshan Oukai Metal and Plastic Products Co., Ltd. The company's main products are fishing accessories and parts such as lead sinker sets, floating ball sets, and fish hook sets, which are mainly sold to Europe and the United States. In 2024, the company continued to maintain existing customers while actively sought new ones, with export orders to Canada increasing by 30%.
Enhanced Supervision
Recently, the production workshop of Langfang Jianyimei Sports Equipment Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Jianyimei Company") located in Gu'an County, Langfang City, Hebei Province, was busy: Workers are assembling imported high-strength carbon fiber materials, precision bearings, and other accessories into high-end fishing equipment. After undergoing stringent quality inspections, this batch of fishing equipment will be exported to Poland for anglers. According to statistics, in 2024, the company's total import and export value exceeded RMB 19 million, an increase of 166.3% over the previous year.
Gu'an County is known as the "Hometown of Fishing Tackles in China". After developing since the 1960s, the fishing supplies industry encompasses over 3,000 varieties across 60 major categories of high-end, mid-range, and low-end products, with an annual output value exceeding RMB 500 million. It is a key pillar of the local county economy.
To actively explore and support the development of new models for the county economy, Langfang Customs under Shijiazhuang Customs has implemented various measures to help enterprises fully utilize the benefits of customs policies. "On the basis of strengthening the filing and review of enterprise manuals at the initial stage, strictly supervising and verifying bonded enterprises during the middle and later stages, and actively identifying and assessing risks to enhance the precision and effectiveness of supervision, we have fully implemented the 'online processing + no errand-running' model. We have optimized the establishment, modification, verification, and other processes related to processing trade manuals to achieve 'immediate review and immediate processing,' ensuring that enterprises experience 'zero waiting.'" A relevant official from Langfang Customs explained, "At the same time, we also provide enterprises with facilitation measures such as 'advance declaration' and self-service printing of certificates of origin to help them reduce operating costs and enhance their international competitiveness."
According to statistics, the total export value of fishing supplies and their components in Langfang reached RMB 29.04 million in 2024, marking a 153.6% increase compared to the previous year. Among them, exports to Belt and Road countries reached RMB 18.727 million, representing a 150.4% increase over the previous year and accounting for 64.5% of the total. The Gu'an fishing supplies industry is setting sail with a fresh approach, expanding into international markets to carve out new opportunities, injecting fresh vitality into the local economy.
To support the healthy, orderly, and high-quality development of fishing supplies enterprises, Binzhou Customs under Jinan Customs maintains a dual focus on supervision and service. The customs office has significantly strengthened risk analysis for internationally well-known fishing brands and rigorously cracked down on the smuggling of similar products to maintain a normal market economic order. Additionally, it has intensified the verification of declaration elements such as product names, specifications, models, and materials to improve declaration accuracy. In response to the common challenges faced by enterprises exporting fishing supplies for the first time, the customs implements a "one policy per enterprise" approach for refined supervision and services. It customizes personalized foreign trade information and compliance guidance for each enterprise, establishes "24/7" online data pre-examination, "instant approval upon application," "two-step declaration," and other customs clearance facilitation measures, thereby creating an export "green channel." Additionally, relevant measures from the General Administration of Customs and the preferential tax policies of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are actively promoted to enterprises to fully leverage policy benefits. Besides, Binzhou Customs vigorously supports enterprises in technological and brand innovation, guides them to successfully complete customs registrations for intellectual property protection, safeguards the rights of proprietary brands, and enhances their core competitiveness.
Moving forward, the customs will continue to strengthen proactive supervision, actively provide enterprises with market access information and foreign technical trade measures, promote brand development, and assist enterprises in seizing export opportunities and expanding their market share.
Strive for a Strong Opening
In the production workshop of Shandong Binzhou Yina Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd., located in Xiawa Town, Zhanhua District, Binzhou City, workers are busy and organized. Rows of exquisite fish hooks are meticulously crafted and packaged by their skilled hands, ready to be shipped worldwide, aiming for a successful start to the new year.
"Our products are exported to the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and 21 countries and regions. The company maintains continuous annual orders, ranging from 3.5 grams to 280 grams of bait, fully meeting all needs, with an export output value reaching RMB 15 million in 2024." said Liu Yonglai, General Manager of Shandong Binzhou Yina Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd.
The fishing supplies manufactured in Binzhou are favored by overseas consumers thanks to their wide variety and excellent performance. According to Binzhou Customs, the export value of fishing supplies from Binzhou reached RMB 460 million in 2024, a 16.6% increase over the previous year.
"The number of global fishing enthusiasts continues to rise, and the demand for fishing supplies is also increasing," said Du Chenglin, President of the Binzhou Fishing Association. Binzhou not only boasts a large community of fishing enthusiasts but also is home to "China's premier fishing gear village" like Renzhuang Village in Wudi County. The fishing equipment industry here has a robust foundation and superior product quality, making it highly competitive in the international market. With the improvement of people's living standards, the leisure fishing industry has developed rapidly, not only driving the growth of related industries but also making significant contributions to local economic development."
Ningbo Ousheng Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd. in the Qianwan New Area of Ningbo also adopts a proactive approach of "sprinting at the start of the year", seizing production opportunities. In the workshop, machines are roaring and workers are busy with tasks such as applying cloth, rolling, curing, and core removal. Batches of finished carbon fiber fishing rods are packed and sent overseas.
"In 2024, the export value of our carbon fiber fishing rods and other products reached nearly RMB 40 million, marking a 30% increase compared to the previous year." Yang Zhenna, Department Manager of the company, explained that the company focuses on the research and development and production of high-performance fishing gear, known for their durability and cost-effectiveness, and they are exported to countries such as Denmark, Germany, and Japan.
"In order to meet the consumption needs of different countries and regions, the company has raised its standards and continuously innovated in product design and manufacturing processes. It uses a large amount of imported carbon fiber fabric as raw materials." Yang Zhenna stated, "Upon learning of our needs, the customs authorities of Hangzhou Bay New Zone proactively promoted policies and assisted us in obtaining the processing trade documentation, thereby reducing costs and increasing efficiency."
In order to enable companies to further expand into overseas markets, customs officers from Hangzhou Bay New Zone under Ningbo Customs have arranged "face-to-face" consultations to guide companies in standardizing declarations and to provide policy guidance on product classification and technical trade measures, thereby facilitating the swift clearance of export goods. (Liu Ruyi, Chen Shaoxin, Chang Tianchen, Chen Yiming, Lin Miao, and Chen Ying)
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of China Inspection and Quarantine Times. The China Inspection and Quarantine Times version shall prevail.