'Electro-fishing' incidents in Chongming lead to police action

Chongming police have cracked four illegal "electro-fishing" cases and detained seven suspects this month alone, the district's police said over the weekend.

Electro-fishing is a widely used method for scientists to sample fish populations. Performed correctly, it results in no permanent harm to fish. But those who shock fish in order to sell them will increase the voltage, which can either kill the fish or stun them. Other animals in the water might also be killed by the electric shock.

Areas of water in Chongming entered closed fishing season from February 16. In order to stop illegal fishing, the district police sent out officers to patrol the rivers and organized inspections with the district fishery administration, but some still skirted the restrictions and attempted to catch fish.

On March 2, officers who were on patrol found two men, surnamed Li and Chen, were electro-fishing in a river. The officers seized their tools and no damage was caused to local wildlife, thanks to their quick action.

The next day, police were informed that three people were shocking fish in a river in Chengqiao Town. The police caught one of them, Ge, with tools and 3.7 kilograms of fish. Another suspect, surnamed Li, turned himself in later, while one suspect remains at large.

Electro-fishing, blast-fishing and poison-fishing are forbidden by Chinese law. Those who violate the law can be sentenced to no more than three years of fixed-term imprisonment.