CHINA / SOCIETY
Healing mother river
By Lin Xiaoyi in Yichang and Lu Yameng in Beijing Published: Apr 14, 2021 07:13 PM
A picturesque section of Yangtze river in Yichang, Central China s Hubei Province. Photo: VCGThe surface of the Yangtze, China s longest river, is still bustling, but the fishing boats have gradually disappeared. When the 10-year fishing ban began to be implemented along the Yangtze River, the mother river of the Chinese nation ushered in a historic opportunity for ecological restoration.
On January 1, 2021, a 10-year fishing moratorium in all-natural waterways along the Yangtze River came into effect, with some 231,000 fishermen surrendering nearly 111,000 boats in a dozen provincial-level regions. This fish in and people out movement eyes to not only restore the fish population in the river but also create a new life for the fishermen who head ashore.
China’s Yangtze River Protection Law is now in force
In order to strengthen the protection and restoration of the ecological environment in the Yangtze River Basin, the Yangtze River Protection Law entered into force on 1 March 2021. From this date, highly toxic chemicals and other hazardous chemicals that are currently not allowed to be transported on inland waterways under national standards, are also prohibited from being carried in the Yangtze River Basin. Companies that violate the law will have their illegal income confiscated and will receive a fine of between CNY 200,000 (approx. USD 30,600) and CNY 2 million (approx. USD 306,000).
The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) issued a Notice on 18 February 2021 that provides further details on the implementation of the new law. The Notice clarifies that the chemicals subject to the ban are those marked as ‘highly toxic’ in the remarks column of the Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals (2015 Edition, Chinese version ava
Our correspondent reports that the Yangtze River Protection Law enacted by the Chinese Authorities on 26 December 2020 came into effect on 1 March 2021.
The River Protection Law prohibits the carriage of highly toxic and other dangerous chemicals by river in the Yangtze River Basin. Any breach will result in the illegal cargo being confiscated and a fine of not less than CNY 200,000, but no more than CNY 2 million. Individual persons found directly responsible for illegal activity shall be fined CNY 50,000, but not more than CNY 100,000.
The Marine Notice of 18 February 2020 issued by the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) provides further details as to chemicals which are deemed to be highly toxic and/or dangerous.
Crackdown on Yangtze sand mining stepped up By YANG ZEKUN | CHINA DAILY | Updated: 2021-03-02 08:44 Share CLOSE Aerial photo taken on May 29, 2020 shows the view of Qutang Gorge, one of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, in Southwest China s Chongqing. [Photo/Xinhua]
Police in provinces along the Yangtze River will enhance coordination to crack down on the illegal mining, transport and sale of river sand, the Ministry of Public Security said on Monday.
Joint efforts will be made by public security organs and other departments to improve information sharing and cross-department consultation and investigate protective umbrellas behind such crimes, said Li Jingsheng, director of the ministry s security administration.
Crackdown on Yangtze sand mining stepped up chinadaily.com.cn - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chinadaily.com.cn Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.