🦆1.12 CWBS: Seasonal Fishing Bans Fail Biodiversity

After this year’s waterbird survey, I found the current fishing ban policy in Sichuan unscientific and ineffective.

Currently, fishing is banned only from March to June. This fails to account for regional and seasonal variation in fish activity. Only some species spawn during that period.

From a fishery resource conservation standpoint, a more effective model would be to divide rivers into zones, with certain zones implementing year-round fishing bans. This would ensure uninterrupted ecological recovery in designated areas, while still allowing regulated fishing elsewhere to meet public demand.

Our survey showed that fisheries were the single largest source of disturbance to waterbirds.

However, enforcement remains the core challenge. Illegal electric fishing is rampant. Even during the official ban, violations are frequent. The policy exists on paper only.