Chinanews.com, Beijing, February 15th (Wei Xianghui) There are many fresh fish in the south of the Yangtze River.

September in golden autumn can be said to be one of the most anticipated seasons of the year for gourmets.

At this time, every bite of Taihu Sanbai can be regarded as the ultimate enjoyment for the taste buds.

　　The rich Yangtze River has nurtured a land of fish and rice from generation to generation, but the consequences of "draining the pond and fishing" are also worrying.

For a long time, from Sanjiangyuan to Bashu, from Jingchu to Wuyue, the alarm bells of the Yangtze River Basin ecosystem have been ringing.

From 0:00 on January 1, 2021, the ten-year fishing ban in key waters of the Yangtze River Basin will be fully launched.

Now, it is the third year.

Data map: In September, Taihu Lake is crisp and clear, with lush water and grass.

Photo by Zhong Sheng

exhaust the pond and fish

　　"Taihu Lake is vast and spans three states, with clear streams on all sides and meandering streams. There are seventy-two isolated mountains, big and small, and you have to eat fresh fish nets." This "Taihu Lake Boat Song" is really suitable to describe Taihu Lake in September.

It was the traditional fishing season in Taihu Lake, and it was also the beginning of a delicious feast.

White fish, whitebait, and white shrimp have three different levels of white lake freshness, which represent the highest level of Taihu Lake umami, and are also known as "Taihu Three Whites".

　　The delicacy of the lake has fed generations of fishermen by the Taihu Lake.

Jiang Yiquan's home is located in Xintang Village, Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, on the southwest bank of Taihu Lake.

He told Chinanews.com that fishing in Taihu Lake has already formed a mature industrial chain. People in Xintang Village used to be mainly engaged in fish acquisition and marketing. The people who really make a living from fishing are mainly in the Jiangsu area.

　　In the past, during the peak fishing season in September, he always set sail from Xintang Port early in the morning, waiting to anchor in the Taihu Lake area around Wuxi, and then meet with local fishermen the next day, waiting for the catch to be harvested, and then transported. To the wharf, sold to wholesalers, restaurant owners, to thousands of consumers.

　　According to Jiang Yiquan, fishing with high nets is the most common fishing method in Taihu Lake. One net reaches the bottom of the lake, regardless of size.

　　If you exhaust the lake and fish, you will not get it, but there will be no fish next year.

Over the past few decades, with population growth and accelerated industrialization, overfishing has led to heavy environmental costs in Taihu Lake and the entire Yangtze River.

Illegal operations such as "electric poison bombing" and "extreme household net" have caused the Yangtze River's biological integrity index to reach the worst level of "no fish".

Data map: Volunteers perform multiplication and release.

Photo by Wu Zheng

10-year ban

　　"The value of fish is very high." In 2022, Wei Qiwei, a researcher at the Yangtze River Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, was widely reported by the media because of his participation in the rescue of the Yangtze River white sturgeon.

　　Wei Qiwei told Chinanews.com that he has been dealing with fish for most of his life, especially the research on the protection basis and protection technology of endangered fish species.

In his view, the relationship between humans and fish is also a manifestation of the relationship between economy and ecology, which should be viewed from the perspective of development.

　　Cao Wenxuan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a fish biologist, was the first scientist to call for a ten-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River. He was also Wei Qiwei's doctoral supervisor.

After scientific investigation and research, in 2006, academician Cao Wenxuan proposed that the Yangtze River should implement a "ten-year fishing moratorium", which caused great controversy at that time.

　　Wei Qiwei believes that ecological protection and fishery development should keep pace with the times and make adaptive adjustments according to changes in the structure and function of water areas.

From a long-term perspective, allowing fish to have a better environment for survival and reproduction is also for future generations of humans.

Green water and green mountains, fish flying in the shallow bottom, this requires some temporary avoidance of human activities.

　　In January 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a circular on the scope and timing of the fishing ban in key waters of the Yangtze River Basin, announcing that the ten-year fishing ban plan for the Yangtze River will be implemented from 00:00 on January 1, 2020.

In the natural waters of the main stream of the Yangtze River and important tributaries except aquatic organism nature reserves and aquatic germplasm resources protection areas, a provisional 10-year perennial fishing ban will be implemented at the latest from 00:00 on January 1, 2021, during which natural fisheries will be prohibited productive harvesting of resources.

　　Some people say that this policy is to replace ten years of "no fishing" with "fish" every year, leaving more space and time for aquatic organisms, and allowing the ecology of the Yangtze River to restore biodiversity on its own.

Others said that the more important thing about this policy is to "plan for the overall situation and for the sake of future generations."

Data map: The Yangtze River Basin ecological management team patrols the river.

Photo by Yuan Xin

There are "fish" every year

　　After the fishing ban, the lives of millions of fishermen have changed.

"Our ancestors have lived on fishing for generations. After the fishing ban, many people's lives have indeed been greatly affected." Jiang Yiquan was originally engaged in aquatic business, but he has not done much in recent years.

　　Like Jiang Yiquan, over the past two years, more than 1,600 fishermen and related practitioners in Changxing County "abandoned their boats and went ashore", bidding farewell to the life of many years of fishing and selling fish.

　　The same is true of Binhu Street in the South Taihu New Area not far away.

Li Qiankun, a staff member of the party and government office, introduced to Chinanews.com that there are more than 300 fishermen in the area, and about 1,600 of them are fishermen. How to effectively and steadily promote the ban on fishing and withdrawal, and at the same time let fishermen go ashore without worry is a major issue. .

　　In order to help retired fishermen adapt to the new life of "going ashore", Binhu Sub-district of South Taihu Lake New District provides subsidies to retired fishermen who meet the policy requirements.

Adhere to the combination of market employment and policy support for employment, try every means to support the conversion of retired fishermen, and at the same time further improve the quality of living environment in the resettlement communities of fishermen, and help retired fishermen integrate into their new lives.

　　"Taihu Lake is beautiful, Taihu Lake is beautiful, and the beauty lies in the water of Taihu Lake." As dusk falls, the lake is quiet. People who are familiar with this place will always think of this song. Goodbye "underwater fish and shrimp fat".

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