society

Pic story: fisherman’s life changes after fishing ban in Yangtze River


Shi Zhongfang buys fish for cooking at a market in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang helps his relatives ferry daily necessities from Lianhua’ao Island of Lianhuadao Village in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang helps his relative ferry daily necessities from Lianhua’ao Island of Lianhuadao Village in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang (C) serves the customers at his restaurant in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang visits his old house which has been pulled down on Lianhua’ao Island of Lianhuadao Village in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 20, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang watches a sunset on Lianhua’ao Island of Lianhuadao Village in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 20, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang prepares to cook fish at his restaurant in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang serves the dishes at his restaurant in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 20, 2020 shows a part of Lianhua’ao Island of Lianhuadao Village in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang cooks fish at his restaurant in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Shi Zhongfang (R, front) buys fish for cooking at a market where he used to sell fish in Yuanjiang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Dec. 21, 2020. Shi Zhongfang, a former fisherman in Lianhua’ao Island which is located in the middle of Dongting Lake, now runs a restaurant featuring the traditional fish cuisine of fishermen in Yuanjiang City. He was the seventh generation fisherman in his family and started fishing at the age of 14. His life has changed in the wake of a fishing ban. According to the central government’s plan, a complete 10-year fishing ban is imposed in key waters of the Yangtze, China’s longest river starting from Jan. 1, 2021. In recent years, the province-level regions along the river have been stepping up efforts to protect the “mother river” of the Chinese nation. Hunan Province, located in the river’s middle reaches, has closed and dismantled all 39 illegal wharves along the mainstream of the Yangtze River while restoring the ecological environment there. The province has also planted over 1,300 hectares of forest along the river. In 2019, the average concentration of total phosphorus in the area of Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake in the river’s basin, dropped by 41 percent compared with that in 2015. With improving water quality, the lake also saw more than 246,000 wintering waterbirds in the year, the highest number in the past 10 years. While strictly implementing the fishing ban policy, the regions have already rolled out a slew of measures to take care of the fishermen’s welfare. In Hunan, the government helped more than 16,000 fishermen change jobs, over 97 percent of the total who had the intention of employment. All the fishermen who meet the conditions in the province have been included in the basic old-age insurance system. “Moving out from the island was hard for me,” said Shi Zhongfang. “But the future generations will be benefited from what we are doing now.” (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

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