Overfishing, dam construction and pollution. Life began to disappear from the Yangtze River as early as the 1950s. It eventually developed into a serious crisis.
A ten-year fishing ban was therefore introduced in 2021. Over 100,000 boats and around 230,000 fishermen have been relocated in an effort that has cost more than the equivalent of SEK 25 billion.
The ban, which is set to last until 2030, has already yielded results. The biomass of fish has increased by 200 percent, and the number of species has increased by 13 percent. This means the fish have become bigger and healthier, according to a new study published in Science.
The Yangtze is the third longest river on Earth after the Nile and the Amazon River.
