Draft Yangtze conservation law adds stricter fishing ban policies

A draft Yangtze River conservation law has proposed setting out more fishing ban policies and harsher punishments for law violations.

The draft was submitted on Tuesday to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, for a third reading.

The latest version of the draft has added provisions for imposing fishing bans in designated areas of the Yangtze estuary.

In January, China implemented a full fishing ban in 332 conservation areas in the Yangtze River basin, which will be expanded to a 10-year moratorium for all natural waterways of the country's longest river, including its major tributaries and lakes, from Jan. 1, 2021.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in November announced a decision to expand the area covered by the fishing ban, pushing its easternmost boundary from 122 degrees east longitude to 122.25 degrees east longitude and establishing a "fishing ban management area" at the estuary.

The update to the draft law was made to reflect the November change to the moratorium.

Agricultural and rural affairs authorities of the State Council shall work with other related State Council departments and provincial-level governments of regions along the Yangtze to strengthen the enforcement of the fishing ban, according to the draft.

County-level governments of regions along the river shall adopt compensation policies for fishermen moving ashore, guide them in finding new jobs, and ensure social security services, it read.

The draft has also proposed heavier fines for violations including illegal sand mining.

In a report submitted to the NPC Standing Committee session which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee suggested the law be passed at the session. Enditem