Wei Qiwei, an expert with the Yangtze River Fishery Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, said that the most effective way to increase the rare fish is to breed and release more young sturgeons measuring above 10 cm in length.

As to the success of the release this time, Wei added that there should be about 1,000 adult Chinese sturgeons migrating back to the Yangtze in 15 years even according to the lowest international standard.

Some of the minnows released Tuesday were labeled with various marks, including the coded wire tags imported from the US so as to make it easier to tell artificially-bred sturgeons from naturally-bred ones, he said.

To ensure a safe return for the young sturgeons to the sea, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has issued a notice, banning all kinds of fishing in the whole Yichang section of the Yangtze River between December 25 of this year and April 15 of next year.

Meanwhile, fishery departments along the river have intensified their crackdown on illegal fishing, especially the use of explosives, electric shocking devices and poisons.

Zhang Hecheng, deputy director of the Fishery Bureau of the ministry, said that relevant departments will trace the young fish 's migration all the way to the mouth of the Yangtze, and publicity will be launched to enhance the awareness of the public to protect the rare endangered fish and other wild marine species.

Yang Zhenhuai, vice-chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, and Lu Ming, vice-minister of Agriculture attended releasing activities on December 29. (Xinhua)