In accordance with a national policy, Anhui province will impose a fishing ban on Yangtze river for four months to preserve fish resources, according to officials.

The Ministry of Agriculture said that the ban will be implemented from March 1 to June 30 in time for the spawning season. The restriction will cover the whole river as well as tributaries and lakes adjacent to the river. Other than the Yangtze river, it will also be enforced on the Huaihe River, which is located mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze.

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"Due to the serious reduction of fish resources in the Yangtze River, it is vital to provide fish an environment in which they can survive and grow," China's Ministry of Agriculture Zhang Huaqiu once said.

If for instance, fry breeding farms and research institutions are in need of resources for frying or scientific study, they must seek and apply for a permit from the government. 

According to a recent study, China tops the fishing industry across the globe. "The fishing ban is a great step in the right direction," project assistant of The Nature Conservancy's Yangtze River Sun Xiaoming said. "But we think that even the current ban may not be long enough for these fish stocks to reach the population size they need to be healthy."

In 2002, the ban was initially implemented only on the lower reaches of the river. The following year, the State Council approved and widened the ban to cover the entire river. Even if the ban means a temporary stop to the economic activity along the river, it will preserve the industry. While the ban will not be able to recover extinct species as a result of dam construction or water pollution, it can somehow relieve the threat of aquatic life.

Tagsfishing ban, Yangtze River, Conservation, resources