China's Heilongjiang to impose fishing ban on section of Songhua River

Northeast China's Heilongjiang province will impose a 77-day fishing ban on the northern part of the Songhua River in the province from Saturday, according to the provincial ecology and environment department.

During the fishing ban, which is the longest one for the Heilongjiang section of the Songhua River, all kinds of fishing methods besides using fishing tackle will be prohibited. Illegal fishing activities such as bombing, poisoning and cross-region fishing will be strictly punished.

The Songhua River, the largest tributary of Heilongjiang River, boasts abundant fish species. In recent years, Heilongjiang has moved most of the heavily polluting factories along the river out of the region to improve water quality and ecology.