Early monitoring shows promising signs of ecological recovery following the ban, including increases in fish biomass and species diversity. The fishing ban is part of China’s broader conservation strategy aimed at reversing long-term ecological degradation.

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Conservation measures beyond the fishing ban, such as reduced vessel traffic and riparian buffer restoration, also contributed to the ecosystem’s response. The Yangtze finless porpoise, the only extant freshwater mammal in the river, has shown population improvement, rising by about one-third between 2017 and 2022. Long-term sustainability of the recovery will require ongoing management and continued ecological protection.