A three-month fishing ban on the whole of Boyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, took effect from Tuesday, the sixth consecutive year the ban has been enforced.

All fishing boats will be banned on the 333,000-hectare area of the lake which is in east China's Jiangxi Province from March 20 to June 20.

"The ban aims to protect fishery resources at Boyang Lake as March is the breeding season for crucian and carp," said Qian Xin'e, deputy director of the Jiangxi Provincial Fishery Administrative Bureau.

A partial fishing ban was first started in 1986 with the aim of protecting the ecological environment and fishery resources. In 2002, the fishery administration imposed the ban on the whole lake.

"Because of the strict supervision of the fishing area and the prohibition of all fishing activities during the period, the ecosystem has been greatly improved," Qian said.

Jiangxi provincial government has allocated 2.6 million yuan (U$336,000) to subsidize registered fishermen and every fishing license holder can get 350 yuan (US$45.22) in subsidies.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2007)