In the summer of 2023, a scene suddenly appeared on the Internet that made people watch a very amazing scene.
The bottom of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is densely packed with fish. And almost every fish reaches 2 meters in length, and some even reach 3 meters.
This makes people cry out in amazement and want to catch it. But this idea was immediately banned by experts.
So why is this happening at the Three Gorges Dam, and why are experts banning fishing for such an abundance of fish?
The source in this article comes from the official media [Yangtze River News, China Youth Daily, CCTV News] (the link is attached at the end of the article), but in order to improve the readability of the article, the details may be polished, please read sensibly, for reference only!
A huge number of "giant fish"
The fish in a video that circulated not long ago is a huge silver carp, and their size is almost no less than 1 meter.
What's even more exciting is that the ferocious carnivorous fish known as the "water tiger" has also reappeared on the surface of the river, and the largest of them is even 2 meters long and weighs 100 catties.
In fact, as a famous inland water system in the mainland, the water ecosystem of the Yangtze River has been seriously damaged by various human activities in the past few years.
A 2018 scientific survey of the Yangtze River's biodiversity showed that the number of freshwater dolphins, an important indicator species of the Yangtze River, has plummeted from 1,800 in 2006 to just 1,012.
Experts believe that the main reason for the sharp decline of freshwater dolphin populations is the increasing scarcity of food sources. In addition to the sharp decline in species resources, fish species in the Yangtze River have also been hit hard.
According to incomplete statistics, the Yangtze River, which once had 424 species of fish, is now critically endangered. The main culprit for this tragedy is overfishing, which has not been effectively controlled for many years.
There are even some irrational fishing practices, which seriously disturb the balance of the aquatic ecosystem and make it impossible for fish to reproduce effectively.
In order to reverse the continuous deterioration of the Yangtze River water ecosystem, on January 1, 2020, the high-profile "10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River" finally kicked off.
This unprecedented large-scale fishing ban will ban productive fishing across the entire Yangtze River basin, giving the ecosystem a precious decade of recuperation.
While the ban could be extended to 1 January 2021 in some well-protected areas, the Yangtze River will remain completely out of the shadow of fishing in the next decade.
It is gratifying that after only a few months of fishing ban, the ecology of the Yangtze River has begun to recover. Of course, these achievements are still possible because the effect of the fishing ban is remarkable.
The effect of the ban on fishing has been significant
Since January 1, 2021, when the Yangtze River basin officially entered a 10-year fishing ban, with the joint efforts of governments and departments at all levels, as of February 2021, 111,000 fishing boats have taken the initiative to land in the basin.
231,000 fishermen suspended fishing operations and switched jobs. According to expert analysis, most fish have a growth cycle of about three years, and after three years of continuous fishing bans, their populations will recover significantly.
At present, the fish population in the Three Gorges Reservoir area has undergone significant changes, mainly with large fish such as silver carp, bighead carp and eel, and the individuals are generally large in size and large in number.
It has been observed that some of these economic fish such as silver carp and sea bream can even weigh tens of kilograms, and the carnivorous eel are more than 2 meters long. It can be seen that under the protection of the fishing ban policy, the recovery of aquatic biological resources in the Yangtze River is accelerating from the initial stage of the fishing ban.
As a large carnivorous fish unique to the Yangtze River Basin, the eel plays a crucial role as a "regulator" in the Yangtze River ecosystem.
Its ferocious eating habits can effectively prevent other fish from overbreeding and avoid causing waste of ecological resources in the waters. However, with the implementation of the fishing ban, there has been a significant rebound in the number of eel stocks.
This phenomenon has also aroused widespread attention and discussion from all walks of life, and many netizens exclaimed that a silver carp weighing dozens of catties is enough for a family to eat for many days.
Some netizens also expressed concern that if the number of eel gets out of control, they will encroach on the habitat space on which other rare fish depend, which in turn will destroy the balance of the Yangtze River ecosystem, and it is recommended that these fish stocks be fished moderately.
In this regard, experts and scholars pointed out that in a healthy ecosystem, it should be a process of mutual checks and balances and dynamic balance between various species, and the biological chain of nature is actually not so fragile.
The explosion of eel populations may seem frightening, but their populations have always followed the internal laws of the ecosystem. Once undernourished, the population achieves dynamic equilibrium through cannibalism, for example.
The flooding of fish in the Three Gorges just proves that the ban on fishing in the Yangtze River has achieved initial results. The recovery of large fish populations, such as eel, has injected new life into the biodiversity of the basin.
The recovery of eel populations is only one of the manifestations of the gradual restoration of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River, and does not mean that they pose a deadly threat to other species, so there should be no excessive intervention in this phenomenon.
Respect the laws of nature
In fact, the eel itself is an integral part of the Yangtze River's biodiversity. Their existence plays an irreplaceable role in maintaining the integrity and stability of the Yangtze River ecology, so there is no so-called "storage and waste" problem.
Experts stress that these public concerns are ultimately due to the fragility of the Yangtze ecosystem's long-term man-made damage.
In order to promote the comprehensive restoration of the ecological environment in the Yangtze River Basin, we should objectively and comprehensively understand the law of ecosystem succession and fully respect the self-regulation ability of natural ecology.
Instead of overreacting to the fluctuation of the number of a certain species, it is better to increase the systematic protection and management of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River from the strategic perspective of attaching equal importance to social and economic development and ecological protection.
Create good conditions for damaged ecosystems to recuperate and repair themselves. Only by following the intrinsic requirements of ecological civilization construction and coordinating the relationship between the part and the whole, the short-term and the long-term, can the harmonious coexistence of man and nature be finally realized.
The ecological restoration of the Yangtze River is not a one-day effort, it requires the joint efforts of all parties and the relay trek of several generations. In this process, it is important to respect the laws of nature and comply with the inherent requirements of ecological self-repair.
Whether it's the explosion of eel populations or the fluctuation of other species, we need not be overly concerned and human intervention, but should trust that the ecosystem will eventually be able to gradually reach a new equilibrium through its own regulation.
This is just like a person's recovery from illness, the recovery of physical functions also requires a gradual process. In the long run, the ecological protection of the Yangtze River is inseparable from the common concern and participation of the whole society.
This requires each of us to establish a scientific and rational awareness of ecological civilization, consciously adopt environmentally friendly behaviors in production and life, and contribute to the green revival of the mother river with practical actions.
As long as man and nature coexist in harmony and take care of this river and clear water, we will be able to realize the beautiful vision of beautiful mountains and rivers and shallow bottoms. Let us work together to create a new chapter in the construction of ecological civilization in the Yangtze River Basin.
epilogue
In the short term, the ban may have some impact on fishermen's livelihoods, but fundamentally, it is essential and critical to restoring the biological integrity of the Yangtze River.
Only by adhering to scientific regulation and respecting the laws of nature can we promote the continuous improvement of the ecosystem in the whole Yangtze River basin.
Each of us should start from now, cultivate a scientific and rational awareness of ecological protection, consciously stay away from illegal fishing, and contribute to the revival of the mother river with practical actions.
Let us work together to take care of this river and clear water, and reproduce the beautiful picture of beautiful mountains and rivers and harmony of all things. Only in this way can the Yangtze River, the birthplace of the Chinese nation, remain vibrant forever and benefit future generations.
Resources:
Yangtze River News - Two meters long, more than 100 catties of predatory fish gather in the Three Gorges Dam area, netizens are worried about ecological imbalance Experts responded to it
https://www.toutiao.com/article/7238594119759725089/?channel=&source=news
China Youth Daily – Hydropower development such as the Three Gorges Dam: Public perception must get rid of the misunderstanding of "ecological ignorance".
http://vv.cinhuanet.com/politics/2016-10/31/c_1119815612.
CCTV News - How has aquatic biodiversity changed since the start of the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River?
https://kaijing.chinnadaily.com.cn/a/202401/02/vis6593b1pta310Up3247ffa851.html