The trends of sea surface chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations in the Bohai and Yellow Seas of China (BYS) were analysed based on the satellite-derived Chl-a dataset from August 2002 to December 2018. The result of linear trend analysis based on the seasonal Mann-Kendall test indicates a significant positive Chl-a trend during this period, with an average trend of ~1.15% year⁻¹ (Slope: ~0.011 mg year ⁻¹). However, the linear trends of Chl-a varied seasonally, with strong and significant increases in spring and summer (about 2% year⁻¹), and weak and non-significant increases in winter (lower than 1% year⁻¹). The results of the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) analysis revealed highly nonlinear and time-varying trends of Chl-a in the BYS, with gradually increased Chl-a during 2002–2011 and decreased Chl-a from 2012 to 2018. The instantaneous rate of Chl-a change was continuously reduced from 2002 to 2018, from a positive value of ~2.0% year⁻¹ around the beginning year (2002) to a negative value of approximately −2.0% year⁻¹ around the recent year (2018). The temporal evolution of the Chl-a trend was well in accordance with the changes in nutrient enrichment, suggesting that the status of eutrophication might be the primary driver of the long-term trends in Chl-a. The increase (decrease) in nutrient levels could alleviate (aggravate) the nutrient limitation for phytoplankton growth in spring and summer, thus regulating the changes in Chl-a. In contrast, the Chl-a trend seems to be unrelated to the trend of light intensity in this area. This is the first study aimed to discern and compare the linear and evolutionary nonlinear Chl-a trends in the BYS and provides a baseline against which future changes can be monitored.