Net enclosures on Dongting Lake to be removed

Net enclosures for fish farming on the southern side of Dongting Lake in central China's Hunan Province will be removed to restore the ecology of the lake, according to the Yuanjiang Municipal government on Sunday.

There are a total of 167,800 mu (11,187 hectares) of such enclosures on southern Dongting Lake. Known as "fish prison," the nets are usually set up during dry season to catch fish illegally, which can result in huge damage to the lake's ecology and fishery resources.

Dongting Lake is home to various migratory birds.

"These nets confined the migration of fish, thereby causing damage to bio-diversity in the area," said Feng Zhengjun, director of the city's aquatic products bureau.

White and black storks living in the area are at risk of harm from the nets and they also face food shortages due to illegal fishing that has reduced the number of fish in the lake, Feng said.

Wang Zhiqiang, vice mayor of the city, said the net enclosures can affect the flood carrying capacity of the lake.

The province has also ordered removal of all net enclosures on Dongting Lake by the end of 2017.

Spreading over the central-lower Yangtze Plain, Dongting Lake is China's second-largest freshwater lake. It is also an ideal habitat for winter birds. Endi