A three-month fishing ban has taken effect as of April 1 in the sections of the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers within the boundaries of the central China's Hubei Province, in a bid to prevent over-fishing and protect fish spawn.

According to Ren Jinghua, director of the provincial aquatic products administration office, the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers are the natural reproduction bases for various categories of freshwater fish and Spring is the peak season for fresh water fish reproduction.
   
To protect the fishery resources of the two rivers, the province started a three-month fishing ban in spring season ever since 2003. No fishing operations are allowed during the fishing ban period, and restaurants, fairs and markets are not allowed to sell fish during the period, the official said.
   
There are a total of 6,000 fishing boats and vessels in the provincial sections of the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers, with the number of fishermen totaling over 10,000.
   
The local financial, civil affairs and labor departments of various levels has worked out policy for subsidizing the fishermen during the fishing ban.

(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2005)