The State Oceanic Administration (SOA; Chinese: 国家海洋局; pinyin: Guójiā Hǎiyáng Jú) was an administrative agency subordinate to the Ministry of Land and Resources, responsible for the supervision and management of sea area in the People's Republic of China and coastal environmental protection, protecting national maritime rights and organizing scientific and technical research of its territorial waters.

[2] In March 2018, the 13th National People's Congress announced that the newly formed Ministry of Natural Resources will replace the functions of the Ministry of Land & Resources, State Oceanic Administration and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping.

[citation needed] Also in 2018, environmental policy functions of the SOA were transferred to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE).

[3]: 95 The main functions of the agency were:[4] The agency was organized in the following departments.

[5] The following agencies that were subordinate to the State Ocean Administration:[6]