Songlin has 20 years’ research and work experience in promoting China’s coastal & marine ecosystem conservation and sustainable seafood production & consumption. His career path includes working for The Nature Conservancy, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF China and WWF International), and The Paulson Institute (PI). His role with WWF extended from implementing the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Planning and Support Project to introducing Marine Stewardship Council (ASC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) to Chinese seafood industry and market stakeholders. He also masterminded and managed PI’s signature Coastal Wetland Conservation Blueprint Project helping identify and preserve China’s most critical coastal wetlands together with Chinese governmental and academic leaders.
Songlin led Ocean Outcomes’ China team during 2015-2018. In 2016 he helped establish ASC’s China program and has been serving as a strategic advisor. In 2017, Songlin founded and since has been chairing Qingdao Marine Conservation Society (QMCS), a young and professional Chinese environmental NGO focusing on coastal & marine ecosystem conservation and seafood sustainability. QMCS supports Monterey Bay Aquarium SeafoodWatch on seafood sustainability assessments and works in core partnership with Ocean Outcomes on comprehensive Fishery Improvement Projects and Aquaculture Improvement Projects in China. OMCS also constructively orchestrates leaders from fishing communities, fellow civil society organizations, seafood industry, academic institutes and government to join hands in identifying, protecting and restoring China’s critical coastal and marine habiats, many have globally recognized biodiversity significnace. Through its science and evidence-based public education and outreach program - China Seafood Sustainability Assessment, QMCS is trying to catalyse nationwide Responsible Seafood Movement in support of China’s eco-civilization agenda and UN SDGs.