In recent decades, the community structure of coastal fishery resources in China has undergone profound shifts.​ Despite growing research efforts, persistent limitations and fragmentation in stock assessment frameworks have hindered systematic, nationwide evaluations of resource status. To address this gap, we synthesized contemporary stock assessment datasets derived from data-limited Bayesian models—specifically the Length-Based Bayesian Biomass estimator (LBB), Catch-Maximum Sustainable Yield (CMSY), and their derivative approaches. The integrated database comprises 186 unique assessments, covering 123 species (108 fishes and 15 invertebrates) analyzed via LBB, and 63 species (59 fishes and 4 invertebrates) via CMSY. These assessments encompass nearly the full latitudinal range of China’s coastlines, extending from the Bohai Sea in the north to the Nansha Islands in the south. Our analysis reveals marked spatial heterogeneity and taxonomic disparities in stock health. Resource biomass was demonstrably lower in semi-enclosed and nearshore waters compared to more oceanic, open-water regions. While fishing pressure exerted a broadly negative influence across most functional groups, benthopelagic species exhibited a divergent response trajectory: invertebrate stocks displayed a significant biomass rebound under intensified exploitation, contrasting with the declines observed in finfish populations. Furthermore, post-2010 catch compositions suggest a notable trophic and habitat shift towards benthic-dwelling species. Overall, our findings underscore a consistent historical decline in Chinese coastal fisheries, which have largely remained in a critically depleted and ecologically unsustainable regime since 2010. These results highlight the urgent need for adaptive conservation strategies and transformative governance innovations.

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