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Major fish species decline by 90% in Yangtze, others face extinction

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2018-09-20 09:38:50Global Times Editor : Li Yan ECNS App Download

The population of the four major types of freshwater fish in the Yangtze River has dropped by more than 90 percent compared with the 1980s, a dangerous sign of resource depletion.

As a critical gene bank of aquatic organisms, the Yangtze has more than 4,300 aquatic species, including more than 400 fish species and over 170 species unique to the Yangtze River. This represents 48 percent of the total number of freshwater fish in China, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Monday. 

Herring, grass carp, silver carp, and bighead carp are four major species of fish that are harvested in China. All rely on the Yangtze to breed. 

In 1990s, the average runoff of eggs and larvae for the four fish was 2.5 billion, but it has dropped to 100 million in recent years, Gao Lei, a fish expert from the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, told CCTV news. 

Aquaculture depends on wild larvae to prosper, and the depletion of Yangtze resources would be fatal for the industry. 

The annual catch from the Yangtze is less than 100,000 tons, dwarfed by the national production of more than 69 million tons in general fishery production.

Apart from a crisis for commercial species, the Chinese paddlefish has not been seen in the Yangtze for many years. Chinese sturgeon and finless porpoise are now extremely endangered.

The main reason for the crisis lies in human activities. Overfishing with illegal tools such as electricity and explosives disrupts the reproduction cycle of fishes. Dredgers doing sand excavation destroy the riverbed fish depend on for food and habitat.  

Complete fishing bans have been applied to 332 reserves in the Yangtze basin since January 1, 2018, protecting one-third of Yangtze water areas. 

Fish larvae have been introduced to the upper reaches of the Yangtze to supplement the wild population, Xu Xianyou, a technician from a hatchery in Hubei Province, told CCTV news. 

  

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