15.62 million fish fry released into Nanxi River

The agricultural department of Yongjia County recently carried out fish enhancement and releasing in four major public waters, including the Nanxi, Xixi, Guxi and Wuniuxi rivers. A total of 15.62 million fish fry such as bighead carp, white carp, and sweetfish were released into these water bodies.

In the Shatou Town watershed of the Nanxi River, the government staff counted and sampled the fry to ensure they were at least 3.5 cm in length before releasing them into the clear waters. The baby fish scattered leisurely upon entering the river, and disappeared without a trace after a while.

The Nanxi River is a crucial freshwater source that directly impacts the water quality and ecological health of the surrounding areas. By stocking bighead carp and white carp in the river and its tributaries, the excessive reproduction of harmful algae can be effectively controlled, reducing the risk of eutrophication in the water body and protecting the water quality and ecological environment of the Nanxi River.

The Nanxi River is the largest tributary of the Oujiang River downstream, with complex and diverse terrain, mild climate, abundant rainfall, ample sunshine, and rich aquatic life. Atlas of Fishes in Nanxi River contains 95 species of fish, mainly distributed in pure freshwater waters, especially in estuary waters. And some of these fish are anadromous marine fish.

Among them, sweetfish is a peculiar and precious freshwater fish in the Nanxi River, and it is known as the“king of freshwater fish”. Yongjia has always been rich in sweetfish. As early as the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573 to 1620), there was sweetfish in the Nanxi River. Since the 1990s, predatory fishing has greatly reduced the breeding population of sweetfish year by year, and sweetfish in Nanxi River was once on the verge of extinction.

Since 2001, Yongjia has been committed to stocking various freshwater fish fry, including sweetfish, into the Nanxi River every year. What’s more, Yongjia issued the Nanxi River Fishery Resource Protection Implementation Plan in 2008. In recent years, over 2 million yuan of special funds have been invested annually in fish enhancement and releasing programs. A fishing ban has also been implemented in the waters of Nanxi River. From March 1st to June 30th each year, the fishery officials are on the round-the-clock patrols to protect the freshwater fish from predatory fishing.

Zhang Shixiang, deputy director of the Fyishery and Agricultural Machinery Technology Promotion Center of Yongjia Count Agriculture and Rural Bureau, said that thanks to the efforts of all parties, the fish resources in the Nanxi River have been significantly improved. It is estimated that the output of wild sweetfish can reach 1 ton, indicating a promising recovery of the population resources in the area. (ZhongXin)