Biodiversity decline halted after Yangtze River fishing ban: study

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A comprehensive 10-year fishing ban implemented in the Yangtze River Basin has successfully halted a 70-year decline in fish resources and triggered initial ecological recovery, according to a recent study published in the journal Science.

To improve biodiversity along the Yangtze, China imposed a full fishing ban in 332 conservation areas of the river basin in January 2020. Protection measures were later expanded to a 10-year moratorium along the river's main streams and major tributaries, a ban which took effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

A group of researchers coming from the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with domestic and international collaborators, evaluated the ban's early impacts using systematic monitoring data collected from 2018 to 2023.

The study analyzed fish community dynamics in the river's main channel across multiple dimensions, including species richness, biomass, abundance, evenness, and beta diversity. The researchers also quantified stressors, including water quality, hydrological changes, climate, land use, shoreline development, shipping and fishing pressure.

Results showed marked improvements in key indicators, including fish biomass, body condition, species diversity, and initial signs of recovery among threatened species. Notably, larger-bodied fish species experienced significant biomass gains, while both large and small species exhibited improved body condition factors, according to the study.

Some species, such as the slender tongue sole (Cynoglossus gracilis), showed an increase in population after the ban, with their freshwater migration extending further upstream.

According to official data released in January 2026, the population of the Yangtze finless porpoise has increased to 1,426, up 177 from the 2022 survey. Such a species is a national first-class protected wild animal, and its population status serves as a "barometer" of the Yangtze River's ecological environment.

The researchers identified the fishing ban as the primary driver of the ecosystem's initial recovery. Besides, additional contributing factors included reduced vessel traffic, the establishment of riparian vegetation buffers, and improved water quality. ■