China’s Yangtze River shows signs of remarkable recovery after fishing ban

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in Hubei province, China. Biologists say the river and its wildlife remain highly vulnerable to pressures, including from hydropower plants. Photograph: Alex Plavevski/EPA

The Yangtze River in China, which has been in ecological decline for 70 years, is showing signs of recovery thanks to a sweeping fishing ban.

The ban was made more effective by the implementation of “evolutionary game theory”, which included finding alternative employment for fishers.