Dreamlike scene of Erhai Lake under blanket of fishing lights

Photo shows a splendid night view of Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, covered with fishing lights during the annual ecological regulation of fish populations in the lake in 2023. (Photo/Wang Xuguang)

With thousands of fishing lights blanketing its surface, Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has offered a magnificent nighttime view since the annual ecological regulation of fish populations in Erhai Lake began on Aug. 21.

As darkness falls each night, fishing boats cruise across the lake, and fishing lights gradually cover the lake with fishing nets stretching across the water. In videos made with time-lapse photography, stars in the night sky appear to fall into Erhai Lake, creating a fantastical, dreamlike template of incredible beauty.

A reliable source said the 2023 ecological regulation of fish populations in Erhai Lake is aimed at comprehensively strengthening biodiversity protection, optimizing the structure of fish populations, and effectively guarding against and controlling invasive alien species.

Based on differences in regulated fish types, this year's regulation efforts are divided into three phases across the lake's waters, excluding the core protected areas of the Cangshan Erhai national nature reserve in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.

The first phase is scheduled to last from Aug. 21 to Sept. 20, with a focus on whitebait, pondsmelt, sharpbelly and other species of small-sized fish. A total of 590 households living along the lake have applied for and received ecological regulation permits.

Only fishermen who have obtained the special ecological regulation permits can enter the lake to conduct fishing activities during the permitted periods.