Marine ecological survey aims at: ①to understand structure and function of marine ecosystem and to identify their impacting factors, ②to assess health status of marine ecosystem and ③to predict trend of marine ecosystem health. Based on the theory of ecosystem health, the overall framework of marine ecological survey was established and Guidelines for Marine Ecological Survey of China was drafted. The parameters, methods and procedures of ecological survey and assessment were determined in this guidelines with the consideration of currently popular equipment level, applicable and mature methods and budget limitation in China marine ecological survey activities. 
Compared with the “Specifications for Marine Biological Survey of China” and “Specifications for Marine Monitoring of China”, this guidelines has three significant features: ①It covers not only the natural parameters (including marine biological and environmental parameters) but also anthropogenetic parameters which indicate the highly extensive exploitation status in the coastal waters; ②The framework of marine ecological assessment consists of 3 keystones: i.e. structure and function of ecosystem and the ecological stress; ③Four groups of ecological stress indices, i.e. Eutrophication Stress Index, Pollution Stress Index, Maricultural Stress Index, Fishing Stress Index, were developed and applied to assess quantificationally the anthropogenetic stress on marine ecosystem.