China’s Yangtze River fishing ban brings biomass surge, boosts finless porpoise

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Zhang TongFebruary 21, 2026 at 05:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

A new study has found that China's Yangtze River is undergoing a meaningful recovery halfway through a 10-year fishing ban enacted in 2021. The ban, which was reinforced by the Yangtze River Protection Law, aimed to restore the ecosystem and reverse decades of ecological decline caused by overfishing, dam construction, water pollution, and heavy shipping traffic. Prior to the ban, freshwater catches had dropped to just a quarter of historical highs, with 135 fish species documented in previous surveys no longer recorded. The fishing moratorium has led to a biomass surge, particularly for the finless porpoise, which is now thriving in the river. Over 111,000 fishing vessels were recalled and 231,000 fishers were resettled as part of the undertaking. The ban has been backed by an investment of over US$2.7 billion.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Beijing 60% Yangtze River Protection Law 70% China ×290% Yangtze River ×5100%

Keywords

yangtze river fishing ban 90% ecological recovery 80% biodiversity surge 70% finless porpoise 60% fishing moratorium 50% water pollution 50% ecosystem restoration 40%