A total of 23 rescued spotted seals were released into waters off the coast of the city of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province on December 12, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said.

The spotted seals were born in Liaodong Bay in the Bohai Sea. They were previously poached and sold to buyers across China before being rescued, rehabilitated and trained for survival in the wild, the ministry stated.

Each of the animals is marked to lower the risks of being captured and traded in the future, and four of them carry satellite GPS trackers to promote conservation efforts and scientific research.

The spotted seal is a flagship species in the marine ecosystems of both the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. China has been cracking down on criminal activities related to aquatic wildlife.