A recent report focused on China’s efforts to protect the finless porpoise.
Professor Wang Ding explained: “The finless porpoise is the only remaining top predator in the Yangtze River. They are rare, and their population reflects the health of the entire Yangtze River ecosystem.” The idea of a complete fishing ban was first proposed in 2006 by Academician Cao Wenxuan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. After continuous appeals from multiple scientists, the ten-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River was fully implemented. The ban is enforced by the police, and illegal fishing in the main stream, tributaries, and connected lakes of the Yangtze will result in criminal penalties. This ban has far-reaching impacts, benefiting a total of 220,000 fishermen.
The report stated that Chinese researchers are working hard to save the last large cetacean species in the Yangtze River—the finless porpoise—and the comprehensive fishing ban in the basin is helping them achieve this goal.
The report pointed out that in 2021, a complete fishing ban was implemented in key waters of the Yangtze River basin. At the same time, over the past decade, thousands of chemical plants have been closed or relocated. Additionally, finless porpoise conservation efforts have seen broad participation from local communities.
The report shared the story of an amateur photographer who joined the finless porpoise protection efforts. This photographer often shares photos of finless porpoises with researchers to aid their scientific studies. On one occasion, he spotted a finless porpoise trapped in a fishing net and immediately notified local authorities. The government suspended all shipping in that section of the river until the porpoise was rescued. It was later discovered that the rescued porpoise was pregnant.
The report noted that changes in the finless porpoise population are the most compelling evidence. In the 1990s, the wild population was about 3,300. By 2006, that number had halved. However, with the implementation of the comprehensive fishing ban and the relocation of factories, the decline in the finless porpoise population has been halted. Moreover, records from the past five years show that the population has increased by nearly a quarter.
To prevent the finless porpoise from facing renewed threats, scientists like Wang Ding are calling for the protection policies to be extended after the ten-year fishing ban expires. Their research, published in the Bulletin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, shows that since the fishing ban was implemented in 2021, fish resources in the Yangtze have experienced explosive growth.
The report mentioned that Chinese researchers take pride in these numbers. Researchers from the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences stated: “If the finless porpoise is doing well and its population is increasing, it means the ecological health of the entire Yangtze River basin is improving.”
