Assessment of the Compound Effects of the Ten-Year Fishing Ban Policy on the Yangtze River: Ecological Restoration, Governance Transformation and Sustainable Development Paths

Abstract

This study systematically evaluates the implementation effectiveness and multidimensional impacts of the ten-year fi shing ban policy on the Yangtze River. Through basin-wide fi shing restrictions, livelihood transitions for retired fi shermen, and the establishment of intelligent monitoring networks, the policy has preliminarily achieved aquatic biodiversity recovery and fostered a collaborative governance model integrating governmental, technological, and societal stakeholders. However, challenges persist, including high costs of cross-regional illegal fi shing enforcement, nonlinear ecological restoration trajectories, and risks of cultural discontinuity in traditional fi shing practices. This study proposes actionable recommendations to advance ecological governance frameworks for large river systems.