In 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs entrusted Fudan University to lead the mid-term assessment of the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River. Fudan Development Institute established a joint research team with five institutions, including the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, bringing together nearly 15 experts in ecology, sociology, public policy, economics, and legal studies to conduct this mid-term examination of the fishing ban. Over nearly a year, the team produced the Summary Report on the Exploration, Practices, Lessons, and Recommendations of the 10-Year Yangtze River Fishing Ban – A Mid-term Assessment Review (hereinafter referred to as the Report Summary), along with one general report and four thematic reports (totaling approximately 200,000 words). These works objectively evaluate the implementation effectiveness and comprehensive benefits of policy measures over five years, analyze challenges and trends, summarize insights, and propose relevant countermeasures and recommendations.

On January 30, 2026, a State Council Information Office press conference was held, featuring Zhangzhi LI, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Jianfang GUI, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and head of the expert team for the mid-term assessment; Kaiyong JIANG, Director of the Yangtze River Fisheries Administration Management Office, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; and Ming FANG, Deputy Secretary of the Fudan University CPC Committee and head of the working group for the mid-term assessment. They presented the findings of the mid-term assessment and the phased achievements over the past five years of the fishing ban, and answered questions from journalists. Ming FANG stated that since the full implementation of the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River, all policies and measures have been effectively enforced, successfully achieving the key phased objectives as anticipated. Significant progress has been made in supporting and securing the livelihoods of retired fishermen, strengthening law enforcement to maintain the ban's order, and protecting aquatic life and restoring the Yangtze River's ecology. The ecological, social, political, and economic benefits of the 10-year fishing ban have already become evident, laying a solid foundation for further consolidating and enhancing the achievements of the ban in the future.

Translated by Yiqian YANG

Full text in Chinese available at:

https://fddi.fudan.edu.cn/bb/7d/c18985a768893/page.htm