Chongqing - Three years after work first commenced on the mass retirement of fishermen, carried out in advance of the ten-year fishing moratorium in the Yangtze River and associated waterways, Chongqing has released details on the strong foundations laid to date, and has elucidated on steps needed to further ecological civilization over the coming years.
Biodiversity recovers in the final ecological barrier
Chongqing Municipality is located in the Yangtze's upper reaches and is home to the Three Gorges Reservoir basin area, meaning it plays a vital role as the final ecological barrier. As a result, the successful implementation of the ten-year fishing ban will provide critical support for green development in the Yangtze Economic Belt and entails major significance for ecological security on the national level.
Considering the ten-year moratorium is unprecedented, the initial year aimed to establish a stable basis for this endeavor through effective management, while solid foundations in all respects have been laid since then. The target for the latter years will be to consolidate achievements through practical experience, precise regulation, and resolute enforcement.
Banned fishing gear is publicly destroyed after the fishing ban was implemented (Photograph/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
So far, the goal to bring fishermen ashore has proceeded in an orderly manner, illegal fishing activities have come under effective control, and the comprehensive management of waterways has been fundamentally achieved, meaning that bio-diversity has begun to display signs of positive recovery.
Resettlement of fishermen progresses smoothly
However, there remain formidable challenges in the settlement of retired fishermen, enforcement along nearly 40,000 kilometers of riverbanks across the municipality, and the ultimate transition from ecological recovery to thriving bio-diversity.
The retirement of fishermen began with policies that encouraged them to embrace the moratorium and come ashore willingly, a process achieved through a combination of guided publicity and financial incentives. As of November 2020, the 5342 identified fishing vessels manned by 10,489 individuals had all been decommissioned and resettled ashore, a feat achieved a year ahead of the three-year target.
Regular monitoring of fish stocks and varieties in the Yangtze and related waterways have shown recovery in bio-diversity (Photograph/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
Expectedly, the resettlement of career fishermen has been challenging, as many lack the skills and means required to adapt competently to different lines of work. In response, the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security worked with multiple city departments to implement a five-point action plan to resolve their main areas of concern.
This has conferred them peace of mind in areas such as employment, training, and social security. All 7429 of the aforementioned fishermen able and willing to seek employment have successfully found work placements, while 10,414 who meet the requirements now participate in endowment insurance programs.
Regulations applied in the fishery market chain
In the practical application of the fishing ban, the tide has turned from issuing prohibition orders to effective full-scale management. The previous three years of experience now mean that strict measures can be enforced universally, while the monitoring of "weak links" has been strengthened along the riverbanks of Chongqing.
Enforcement of the ten-year fishing moratorium has gained effectiveness in the space of just three years (Background Photograph/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
This endeavor has required a united front between law enforcement, rural committees, and regulatory bodies that have focused on key links within the economic chain, from the capture of fish to the transport, processing and sales process.
Additionally, a comprehensive patrol system targeting fishing boats, nets, tackle and markets in violation of the ban, as well as 937 AI-powered early-warning stations, have left no stone unturned to ensure the moratorium is fully respected.
Consequently, fish stocks in the Yangtze River are no longer in their former state of decline and have begun to show concrete signs of recovery regarding physical growth, population numbers, and bio-diversity.
Rare aquatic species make a comeback
Regular monitoring on the Yangtze, Jialing, and Wu rivers have been carried out to survey fish spawning in natural river environments, while the artificial breeding of rare species at resource banks now ranks highly nationwide in terms of scale, both of which have played a significant role in returning aquatic life towards to their past levels.
Strengthened regulation of the fishery market chain helps ensure the moratorium is respected (Photograph/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
Over the past three years, a total in excess of 51 million fish has been released into the water systems of Chongqing Municipality, which has raised the level of aquatic resources above levels prior to the moratorium in all respects. Nowadays, the once highly endangered Yangtze sturgeon can be spotted ever more regularly.
In the next step, the movement towards ecological civilization over the ten-year moratorium will continue to focus on the livelihoods of retired fishermen, crackdowns on illegal fishing, the restoration of bio-diversity, and the high-quality development of legitimate fishery market chains, allowing for the public to buy a greater variety of aquatic products.