[New ideas lead a new journey] Promote a ten-year ban on fishing in the Yangtze River and write a new chapter in the Yangtze River protection

News: As a landmark project to jointly protect the Yangtze River, the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River enters its fourth year this year. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the ban on fishing in the Yangtze River is an important decision for the overall plan and for future generations. Keeping in mind the General Secretary’s instructions, provinces and cities along the Yangtze River continue to promote the restoration of aquatic biodiversity in the Yangtze River and strive to ensure the employment and life of fishermen who have retired from fishing. During this period, reporters went deep into both sides of the Yangtze River to record the important phased results of the fishing ban and the solid actions of the cadres and the masses to unswervingly promote the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River.

While walking along the Yangtze River, scientific researchers discovered many gratifying phenomena.

In the southern source of the Yangtze River, a new habitat for the small-headed catfish was discovered. The number of fish exceeds 30,000, providing valuable data for aquatic ecological protection.

In the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, tracking shows that the successful rate of artificially propagated and released Chinese sturgeons entering the sea has increased from about 45% to more than 60%; the trend of fish miniaturization and younger age in Poyang Lake has been curbed, and the habitat environment has been improved.

In the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, large-scale migration of wild Chinese mitten crabs occurred at the mouth of the Qinhuai River in Nanjing for the first time since March this year, and the population has increased significantly.

The recovery of aquatic biological resources is improving, witnessing the phased results of more than three years since the Yangtze River was closed to fishing for ten years.

The implementation of a ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River is an important decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core based on the long-term interests of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the General Secretary has made many in-depth inspections and surveys along the Yangtze River to learn more about the implementation of the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River. He pointed out that we must firmly promote the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River and consolidate the results that have been achieved.

According to the deployment, starting from January 1, 2021, a ten-year fishing ban will be implemented in the main stream of the Yangtze River, large river-connecting lakes, important tributaries, and some waters of the Yangtze River Estuary, and productive fishing of natural fishery resources will be prohibited all year round. Over the past three years since fishing was banned, relevant assessments have shown that the aquatic life integrity index of the main stream of the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake has improved by two levels from the worst "no fish" before the fishing ban. In 2022, the number of Yangtze finless porpoises will reach 1,249, achieving a historic rebound. The water quality of the main stream of the Yangtze River has maintained Category II for four consecutive years.

A ten-year ban on fishing in the Yangtze River will be implemented to solve the production and living problems of fishermen after they come ashore. Only by banning fishing can we have a stable and solid social foundation.

More than 30,000 fishermen in Anhui who have quit fishing and switched to other industries have received employment training under the guidance of the government. In Dangtu County, free learning of breeding techniques and breeding ecological crabs has become a new option for fishermen who want to quit fishing.

In Yueyang, Hunan, which owns more than 60% of the Dongting Lake water area, the government helped fishermen ashore to build farms and develop the dried fish industry. It also led them to learn live streaming to sell goods and expand sales.

On Tangyin Island in Poyang Lake, where fishermen have retired from fishing, the local area is exploring and planning to use unique natural resources to develop the tourism industry on the premise of continuing to protect the ecology. Since fishing was banned for more than three years, relevant departments have registered 231,000 retired fishermen one by one to improve employment and social security levels through multiple channels.

Since the ten-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River was implemented, the provinces and cities along the river have worked together to tackle difficulties and have made long-term achievements. The Yangtze River protection has continued to advance in depth and the results of the fishing ban have continued to be consolidated. In the next step, the provinces and cities along the river will also strengthen the restoration of important habitats for aquatic life, establish dynamic and precise assistance services for fishermen who have retired from fishing, and improve cross-regional and cross-department law enforcement cooperation mechanisms to ensure that the clean water of the river lasts for future generations and benefits the people.