On July 8, the State Council released a notice that urges intensified efforts to enforce the fishing ban. The document highlights the significance of ensuring the livelihoods of former fishermen in its river basin.

Song Xin, deputy director of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's employment promotion department, said during the news conference that redeployment of former fishermen is difficult as most of them are not young and have few other skills. The COVID-19 epidemic also worsens their prospects.

The ministry will thus put forward a slew of employment options based on their specialties and aspirations, he said.

"Former fishermen dexterous in trawling will be enlisted to help develop related industries such as rice-fish farming, aquatic products processing and leisure fishing," he said.

"Those who are willing to switch to new jobs will be introduced to work in nearby enterprises, factories or agricultural businesses. Vocational training and guidance will also be held on a large scale."

Entrepreneurship is also encouraged. Incubator bases related to the fishery industry will be supported, and former fishermen who launch startups that operate for longer than a set period will be rewarded with a one-time subsidy, he added.

For the older and long-unemployed group, local governments should propose one-on-one assistance plans and guide them to take part in patrol work.

Yu, the vice-minister, added that many fishermen depending on the Yangtze River have been living in destitute conditions for a long time due to dwindling fish stocks.

"Freshwater fish products from the Yangtze River used to account for as much as 60 percent of the nationwide total, but nowadays the river only supplies less than 100,000 metric tons of the 63 million tons produced each year across the country," he said.

"Therefore, forbidding fishing in its river basin is not only meant to revive the battered ecosystem, but also to break the vicious cycle and achieve long-term benefits for fishermen," he said.