China's largest freshwater lake starts annual fishing ban

NANCHANG, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China's largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake in eastern China's Jiangxi Province, starts a three-month fishing ban at noon Monday.

The local government initiated the ban, which lasts from March to June, in 2002 as a move to protect fish during the spawning season.

All fishing and related activities that can threaten fish and the lake environment will be banned during the moratorium, according to officials with the provincial fishery administration.

Poyang Lake is renowned for its rich fishing resources. However, due to persistent drought and over-exploitation the ecosystem has degenerated.

The ban has proved helpful for restoring fish numbers in the lake. According to the provincial fishery administration, over the last 15 years a total of 2.6 billion small fish were released into the lake.