China implements major Yangtze River fishing ban to restore collapsed ecosystem

China enforced an expanded fishing ban on the Yangtze River, the world's third-longest river, to reverse decades of ecological collapse driven by overfishing and industrial pollution. The ban restricts commercial fishing across thousands of kilometers of waterway and affects tens of thousands of fishermen who depend on the river for livelihoods. The Yangtze supports biodiversity found nowhere else on Earth and provides freshwater to over 400 million people downstream, making its recovery significant for global ecosystem stability. Early reports indicate the policy is beginning to show measurable improvements in fish populations and water quality.