Clean lake refreshes environs for people, birds

HEFEI－A fisherman for decades, Yu Yuneng never thought a drastic career change would come to him at the age of almost 60.

Living by Chaohu Lake in Hefei, Anhui province, Yu's family has fished for a living for generations. The fifth-largest freshwater lake in China, Chaohu Lake is dubbed by some as the "kidney "of the Yangtze River.

However, with the construction of water conservancy facilities and urban development, more than 6,600 hectares of natural wetlands have been eroded and disappeared.

Overfishing and water pollution have also caused a rapid decline of fish resources－the natural solution to blue-green algae bloom. The lake was once covered with thick algae every summer, turning into a sticky dark green with a pungent smell.

Starting on Jan 1, 2020, a 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River's pivotal waters was officially implemented, including Chaohu Lake. But fisherman Yu did not lose his source of income as a result. Instead, he got a new, more relaxing job: cleaning the blue-green algae on the waters he loves.

"I work eight hours a day now, which is much easier than fishing the lake, and I still earn more than 4,000 yuan ($600) per month. The income is higher than fishing," Yu said, adding that there is much less algae on the lake than before.

Yin Ming, an employee at the Chaohu Lake management authority, said that the local authorities have launched an array of measures to tackle the harmful algae blooms, including building several treatment facilities with a large capacity for algae separation and processing.

Compared with the same period in 2020, the first occurrence of algae blooms in Chaohu Lake in 2021 was delayed by 56 days, with its total size down by 84.4 percent and its frequency decreasing by 78.3 percent.

Many fishermen like Yu have found new careers after the fishing ban, such as becoming inspectors to stop illegal fishing activities or operators of family farms. With supporting measures including special job fairs, skills training and safety net policies, the ex-fishermen's livelihoods are guaranteed.

Since the beginning of this year, the city of Chaohu has issued onetime employment and entrepreneurship subsidies of 207,000 yuan to the former fishermen.

Other changes are also happening around this freshwater lake, with more rare and endangered species inhabiting its surrounding wetlands.

Hu Wenxiang, a shutterbug, spotted a few yellow-breasted buntings at a wetland in Chaohu Lake on April 30.

"I've never seen this kind of bird before. They are so beautiful, so I took a few photos quickly," said Hu. Later, he was surprised to find out the birds were yellow-breasted buntings, a first-class protected animal in China.

More species of rare birds, such as billed dowitchers, Mongolian plovers, grey plovers and Siberian rubythroats have been spotted at Chaohu Lake recently as the environment improves, according to Yu Lei, vice-president of the Anhui provincial rare bird protection workers union.

There are 10 major wetlands around Chaohu Lake with a total area of 100 square kilometers, nine of which have now been restored. The lake has become a paradise for migratory birds again, and a hot spot for birdwatchers as well.

The fishing ban and restoration of natural lands have not run counter to local economic development. In 2021, the GDP of Chaohu grew by 9.1 percent year-on-year.

"Facts have proved that economic development and environmental protection can go hand in hand, coexist and prosper," said Gao Binyou, deputy secretary-general of the Hefei government.