Jiangsu starts 3-month fishing moratorium on Yangtze River

Jiangsu has imposed a 3-month fishing moratorium on the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River, from April 1 to June 30, according to Jiangsu Marine Safety Administration.

The moratorium applies to all eight cities and 28 counties along the river. During the moratorium, only fishermen with special fishing licence for coilia ectenes (long-tailed anchovy) are permitted for fishing. Meanwhile, all fishermen will get government subsidies as compensation.

According to the Jiangsu Maritime Safety Administration, there are nearly 2,300 fishing boats and 10,000 fishermen in the Jiangsu section of the river, and on average each of them will get a subsidy of around 400 to 500 yuan.

There are suggestions from marine experts to impose a 10-year fishing ban on the river, for the sake of long-term resources conservation since fishermen strive for maximizing their monthly catches as soon as the three-month ban is over. To protect fish resources in the Yangtze River, the administration needs to carry out comprehensive measures, including pollution treatment and environment enhancement, said Zhang Haijian from the administration.