Ecosystem based fishery management in Yangtze River Delta basin and fishery management opinions for Jiangxin island of Nanjing

Abstract

In the past ten years, China has developed to be one of the most important countries of fishery production field. Annually Chinese fishery products is increasing . In 2009 the total fishery production is 50.4 million tones.(China statistical reports,2009) As the same rate as the increase economy, the sharply development of fishery production is also remarkable.

But there are serious problems behind the promising surface. The conflicts between the economic development and ecological and environmental declaration are becoming prominent. The most serious situation is in Yangtze River basin. According to a Chinese governmental report, the total annul aquatic production in Yangtze River is about 20% of total national fishery production. But from the latest 20 years, the fishery biomass situation is continue damaging. How to fix Yangtze River ecosystem is the top priority in fishery management. And how to deal with the fishery of Yangtze River is also the main problem of Chinese freshwater industry.

Chinese government has authorized many measures and policies in the last 10 years, but the situation became even worse during this period. Because of the historical and political reasons. Chinese academic levels in fishery economics and management is limited, and the fisheries research is not given enough priority. There is hardly any effective research on Yangtze River fishery resources today.

At a global level , a new term is becoming quite popular, within the field of fishery management namely ecosystem-based fishery management. Many foreign countries has implemented this theory into practice and also FAO support this theory as the most important management theory in fishery in the future.(FAO, 2005) The same as many other new theories, there are so many disputes and controversies on this theory. Problems often pointed at are shortage of data and poor knowledge, the theory is still not fully developed.

Based on the investigation of the formal management failure in China. We figure out that may be the ecosystem-based fishery management can save the environment and fishery resources in Yangtze River. We are going to analysis the main principles, goals and policies for the fishery management, which is the original in Yangtze River academic research.

Good theory needs to be tested by facts. Based on the theory of EBFM in Yangtze River, we chose a small island in Yangtze River to implement the theory . According to the local conditions and new development perspective, we chose Jiangxin island of Nanjing as a research field. We gave management advices for this island and hope it can be a good example that balance the environment profit and economic benefit.

This paper will be a operation advices give to the development company of Jiangxin island for the implementation of ecosystem based fishery management on that island.