Fishing ban extended in Yangtze river

A fishing ban on China's Yangtze river will be extended this year from three months to four months, the authorities said on Saturday.

The ban will last from March 1 to June 30, covering the spawning season, Xinhua news agency reported.

The ban also applies to the Huaihe river, which runs almost parallel between the Yangtze and the Yellow river.

The first ban on the lower reaches of the river was in 2002. In 2003, it was approved by the State Council and extended to the whole river basin.

The Yangtze river is regarded as the "cradle of China's freshwater fishery and a valuable bank of fish genes".

However, excessive fishing has put some species on the brink of extinction.