China's Yangtze River is showing signs of recovery following the introduction of a 10-year ban on commercial fishing in 2021. The number of large fish has increased, and there has been recovery among endangered animals, including the Yangtze sturgeon (Sinosturia dabryanus) and the Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis), new research finds.
"These results show that strong political decisions are required to restore biodiversity," Sébastien Brosse, an ecologist at the University of Toulouse in France and co-author of the new study, told Live Science via email. "This is an encouraging message because biodiversity loss is often seen as irreversible." The Yangtze is the longest and largest river in China. About 30% of the country's population lives within its drainage basin, and the 11 provinces and municipalities that make up the Yangtze River Economic Belt generate about 47% of China's total gross domestic product.
