Environment

China employs 546 “fish guards” to protect ecology in Qinghai Lake

Published

4 years ago

June 28, 2021

Qinghai province in northwest China, known as the country’s “water tower,” is where multiple major rivers start flowing. It boasts rich ecological resources and serves as a shield that protects the country’s ecological security.
Recently, 546 people in 40 townships of nine counties in the province’s Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Yushu prefecture and Golog Tibetan autonomous prefecture, were registered as “fish guards” to protect the ecology along the Yangtze River.
The “fish guards” will patrol along the river course for publicity of fishing-ban policies. Besides, they will also search for, report and stop illegal fishing and other illegal practices that hurt aquatic plants and animals and the ecology of fisheries areas.
A ten-year fishing ban has officially taken effect since the very beginning of this year in key waters of the Yangtze River. From April, 3.4 million fish fry of native species, including naked carp, have been released by the province into the Qinghai Lake, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. As planned, the province will release a total of 21.15 million fry this year.
On June 3, the Qinghai Lake naked carp started their annual migration in Quanji River, an inflow river of Qinghai Lake in Gangca county, Haibei Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Qinghai province. They gathered at the estuaries of major inflow rivers around the Qinghai Lake, and traveled up rivers to spawn.
“In the old days, people built dams on rivers for irrigation, as a result of which massive broodfish were stranded and died as they were not able to go upstream to spawn,” said Qi Hongfang, researcher of a center dedicated to protecting the naked carp in the Qinghai Lake.
According to her, the gonad development of naked carp needs stimulation of the streams, and shortened migration distance could directly undermine the reproduction of the species.
To protect the migration of naked carp, Qinghai province has dismantled the dams on Shaliu River, Quanji River and Ha’ergai River since 2010, and built and reconstructed seven migration channels for the fish.
Qi introduced that each of the stepped channels is 100 meters long, and there are a 30cm stair and a pool every 1.6 meters along each channel where the fish can rest. “Most of the fish are able to go up rivers along the channels,” she said.
“Naked carp is the most fundamental part of the water-fish-bird-grassland ecology of the Qinghai Lake. They are a critical link on the ecological chain and vital for the protection of biodiversity in the region,” said Tseten, deputy director of Gangca county’s agri-animal husbandry bureau.
According to monitoring data in December, 2020 from Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, the Qinghai Lake had 100,400 tonnes of naked carp, 38 times the figure in the initial days of preservation, and over 30 percent of the original reserve.
Bird species also benefited from the efforts. From 2015 to 2019, the total population of water birds around the Qinghai Lake reached 250,000 to 370,000. The number of bird species kept growing and there was also an obvious increase in biodiversity and species richness. The Qinghai Lake has become one of the breeding places that sees the largest reproduction of migratory birds and the highest concentration of migratory bird population.
Apart from building migration channels, Qinghai province established a center dedicated to protecting the naked carp in the Qinghai Lake. It protects germplasm resources of naked carp, tests and monitors germplasm resources in fishery eco-environment, monitors naked carp populations and releases and enhances naked carp resources.
The center is a “kindergarten” of naked carp. It has 18 outdoor fisheries that cover a total of 15,000 square meters. More than 20 million naked carp fry spend the winter there. So far, the center has released 100 million naked carp fry, contributing 23 percent to the recovery of the species.

By Wan Yu, People’s Daily

Related Topics:China Fish guards Qinghai Lake

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Environment

One dead, 13 injured in Lagos gas explosion at fast food restaurant.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 28, 2025

Our Reporter

The Lagos State Police Command on Saturday confirmed the death of a 20-year-old female staff and injuries to 13 others following a gas explosion at a fast food restaurant in the Ajah area of the state.

Zagazola Makama reports that the incident occurred at about 3:00 p.m. on July 19, at No. 5 Spring Garden Estate, Orchid Road, Ajah.

According to a police sources, the restaurant, owned by one Uchechukwu Godwill Villason, was gutted by fire caused by a suspected gas leak, leading to a massive explosion and subsequent inferno.

A police source at the Lagos State Command said: “Thirteen staff members sustained varying degrees of burns during the incident and were immediately rushed to the General Hospital, Gbagada, for medical treatment.”

Tragically, one of the victims, identified as Kingsley Promise, a 20-year-old female and native of Akwa Ibom State, succumbed to her injuries while receiving treatment.

Police detectives from the division visited the scene for documentation and evidence collection. The affected hospital was also visited, where the deceased’s body and the condition of the injured victims were assessed.

The remains of the deceased have been evacuated to the Mainland General Hospital morgue, Yaba, for autopsy, while investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.

The command advised business owners handling gas-powered appliances to ensure regular maintenance and safety checks to avert similar tragedies.

Environment

Ex-President Buhari in Maiduguri▪︎▪︎▪︎Commisserates with flood victims.

Published

9 months ago

November 6, 2024

milcah

By: Ali Musa Biu

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Tuesday, received former President Muhammadu Buhari who was in the state to commiserate with the people and government over the 10th of September flood disaster.

Parts of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, and its surrounding local government areas were struck by a devastating flood that claimed several lives and destroyed many properties.

President Buhari who was out of the country when the flood disaster occurred earlier sent a high powered delegation to commiserate with the government and made a N20m donation to the state relief fund.

Making his remarks during the visit, Buhari said, “When this disaster happened, having been governor in Borno during my military career, I could hardly imagine such disaster. I was out of the country, all I could do was to send people to come and sympathise with you.”

In their separate remarks, Governor Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Garbai Elkanemi, expressed gratitude to the former President for the visit.

The former president was accompanied by the ex-Secretary to the federal government, Boss Mustapha, Engr. Sulaiman Adamu, Sen. Hadi Sirika, Prof. Isa Pantami, Engr. Aliyu Mamman, Garba Shehu, Emeka Nwajiuba, Musa Haro Danmadami among other associates.

Environment

Ex-President Buhari in Maiduguri Commisserates with flood victims.

Published

9 months ago

November 6, 2024

milcah

By: Ali Musa Biu

Parts of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, and its surrounding local government areas were struck by a devastating flood that claimed several lives and destroyed many properties.

In their separate remarks, Governor Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Garbai Elkanemi, expressed gratitude to the former President for the visit.