The Chinese sturgeon (CFP file photo)

The 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River, initiated in 2021, has already shown significant progress, according to a national work meeting on April 25.

China has implemented various measures to support this initiative, including the relocation and reemployment of former fishermen, the enforcement and supervision of the fishing ban, and the resource protection and restoration. Data from 2023 indicate a 65% reduction in organized illegal fishing activities on the Yangtze River's main stream compared to 2020.

The Fish Index of Biological Integrity of the Yangtze River encompasses six categories - excellent, good, fair, poor, very poor, and no fish. According to the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, the fish index of the river’s main stream and the Poyang and Dongting lakes is currently rated as "poor" - an improvement from the previous worst status of "no fish."

Among other achievements, the population of the Yangtze finless porpoise, a critically endangered species under China's top protection, has stopped falling and increased to 1,249, marking an increase of 237. Furthermore, the knife fish, once overfished, has been observed migrating upstream to the Dongting Lake, marking the farthest distribution ever recorded for the species.

However, the meeting also highlighted ongoing challenges. Around 120 fish species, which represent 25% of those historically found in the river’s basin, have not yet been monitored. Species such as the Chinese sturgeon and the Yangtze River sturgeon still remain critically endangered.