Seventeen Chinese fishermen returned home on Friday after two years in prison for fishing for marine turtles in the Philippines maritime area.

The fishermen from the island province of Hainan were arrested in January 2004 and jailed after being tried and convicted.

A Hainan Provincial Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office official said the Chinese government and the embassy in the Philippines had made great efforts for the fishermen's early release.

The fishermen were released before their sentences ended, and were escorted home by embassy officials.

Source: Xinhua