At dusk, in the Dangtu section of Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province, the main stream of the Yangtze River, a patrol ship turned on its searchlight and moved slowly along the coastline. "Which section of the bank is loose or which piece of reed is abnormal? You can see clearly by shining the flashlight diagonally in the evening." Liu Kai, who was standing on the bow of the ship inspecting, imparted his experience to everyone.
In his early years, Liu Kai made a living by fishing in the Yangtze River. Now he puts down his fishing nets to set up a shipyard, and he also took the lead in establishing the Dangtu County Fishery Resources Protection Association. Although his identity has changed, he can never let go of this river.
On August 19, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Maanshan City for inspection and investigation. The General Secretary learned in detail about the implementation of the comprehensive regulation of the Yangtze River coastline, ecological environment protection and restoration, and the ten-year ban on fishing in the Yangtze River in Ma'anshan City. He went to the riverside to inspect the water potential of the Yangtze River and the ecological environment of the coastline. The general secretary emphasized that we must enhance the awareness of caring for and protecting the Yangtze River, realize a virtuous cycle of "the people protect the Yangtze River, and the Yangtze River benefits the people", and restore the scenic scene of "a river of clear water flowing eastward" at an early date.
The Yangtze River main stream coastline in Ma'anshan City totals 36 kilometers. It was once an area densely populated with docks and sand fields, and the water body was once seriously polluted. "Ten years ago, the fishermen and I were not used to it when we went ashore, and we felt empty. But I firmly believed that overdrafting the ecology in exchange for livelihood would not go far, and we had to go ashore." Liu Kai recalled. Gritting the bullet, Liu Kai went to other places to learn technology and find a way out, then returned to his hometown to start a shipyard. At present, the factory has developed more than 50 boat models, with an annual turnover exceeding 10 million. More than ten fishermen who have retired from fishing are safely employed in the shipyard.
From "floating on the water" to "working on the ground", more and more fishermen have not only transformed and come ashore, but also actively participated in the ecological protection of the Yangtze River. They purchased barges and patrol boats at their own expense and actively participated in patrolling coastlines and waters. "I have been fishing for more than 20 years, and now that I have started to manage the river, I feel very at ease." said Cheng Youqing, leader of the fishing team of Dangtu County Fishery Resources Protection Association.
Under the guidance of the Yangtze River Protection Strategy, in recent years, Ma'anshan City has promoted the systematic management and ecological restoration of water, fishery, shores and industries along the Yangtze River, and comprehensively completed the rectification of the sewage outfalls of the main branches of the Yangtze River. The fish scale and resource density of the Yangtze River in Ma'anshan have increased by 1.5 times and 2 times respectively compared with before the fishing ban.
Along the Yangtze River to the west, in the Anqing section of the main stream of the Yangtze River, finless porpoises frequently appear, painting a vivid picture of the harmonious coexistence between humans and the river. Zhang Liyuan, who is in his 60s, has been accompanying finless porpoises these years. Every morning, he carries a bucket full of small fish to the riverside and hits the water with a bamboo pole. The finless porpoises will hear the sound and come to look for food.
In 2019, Zhang Liyuan responded to the fishing ban policy and voluntarily gave up his fishing livelihood. He was the first local fishermen to sign a letter of responsibility for quitting fishing. After that, he joined the Anqing Xijiang Finless Porpoise Ex-situ Conservation Center and became a full-time dolphin protection ranger. Zhang Liyuan can identify different finless porpoises based on the fluctuations in the water surface, and can also judge their health status through their breathing and predatory behavior. He is affectionately called "Porpoise Dad" by everyone. "After raising it for a long time, I can't bear to see it suffer like my own child. The finless porpoise lives by carrying water, and it only comes when the water is good. As long as the finless porpoise is there, this river will have a bright future." Zhang Liyuan said.
A river with clear water and lush greenery on both sides. Liu Ruyu, Department of Water Ecology and Environment of the Anhui Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, used a set of monitoring data to record the recovery of this river: in 2025, the proportion of water quality in the national examination sections of the Anhui Yangtze River Basin will reach 94.8%, an increase of 15.5 percentage points from 2016; the Anhui section of the Yangtze River mainstream has maintained Class II high-quality water quality for 11 consecutive years; the Anqing section of the Yangtze River mainstream has become the area with the highest finless porpoise population density in the Yangtze River mainstream.
"The people protect the Yangtze River, and the Yangtze River benefits the people." The changes in the Yangtze River Protection Strategy since its implementation ten years ago are most vividly felt by the people living along the river. Liang Huan, a citizen of Anqing, often walks along the river. He said with emotion: "The water used to be very muddy and the shoreline was messy. Now the water is clear and the finless porpoise has returned. I often take photos and post them on WeChat, and my friends from other places are very envious."
