Over 10 years ago, together with 20 coxswains, he initiated a proposal for protecting the sea and hence came into being China's first marine environment protection organization "Chinese Fishermen's Volunteer Team of Marine Environment Protection".

This man is Liu Yongfa, a coxswain from Xiangshan County of Ningbo. On the morning of October 13, he and other 9 people who have made outstanding contributions for the environment protection of China were awarded "Mother River Award" in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The 60-year-old Lin Yongfa has been a fisherman for 42 years. In August 2000, out of his worries with the worsening marine ecological environment and the exhausting marine resources, he and together 20 coxswains initiated a proposal for protecting the sea and founded China's first marine environment protection organization "Chinese Fishermen's Volunteer Team of Marine Environment Protection". Since then, he has participated in every fishing festival. He is a representative protector of the sea in Xiangshan.

During 9th fishing festival, at the approval of the Central Committee of the Youth League of China and China Young Volunteers Association, "China Young Volunteers' Base for the Protection of Seas" was set up in Xiangshan. In 2007, Lin Yongfa was elected Person of the Year for Marine Environment Protection. In 2008, he was elected a torch bearer of the Olympic Games in Beijing. He is also a model worker of Ningbo.

It is reported that the "Mother River Award" was established in 2000 by the leading group of the protecting the mother river program. It is also the only award in China in the environment protection undertaking for the young people. The award aims to commend the individuals and organizations that make outstanding contributions to the environment and ecological protection. The program of the Mother River Award this year is organized by the leading group of the national protecting the mother river program and sponsored by L'OREAL (China) Co., Ltd.