Source: People’s Daily
“The fat in the middle of the body, the golden thread at the beginning and the end is like a thread, is a delicacy of Dianchi Lake”, this is Xu Xiake’s praise for the golden thread of Dianchi Lake. In the 1980s, due to the deterioration of the water quality of Dianchi Lake, the once-ubiquitous golden thread barb was gradually lost. With the efforts of scientists, the golden thread barb was artificially bred and returned to Dianchi Lake. The Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Plateau Fish Breeding took the wild Dianchi golden barb as the basic population, and bred the “Banyou No. 1” with excellent growth characteristics, which is the first new species created based on the national protected fish in my country . With the advancement of the commercial breeding of “Banyou No. 1”, the once indigenous fish “swim” back to the dining table of the citizens.
Biological species resources are the basis of human survival and social development, and fish are important members of the biological family. For some time, due to environmental damage and invasion of alien species, many local native fish have entered the endangered list. With the strict implementation of in situ protection measures and breakthroughs in artificial breeding technology, the species resources of many indigenous fish have been preserved. It should also be noted that after the technology is mature, thousands of fish fry can be produced at any time, and it is difficult to maintain a huge artificial population simply by relying on government investment. How to strengthen follow-up protection? It is necessary to better combine protection and utilization, and on the premise of doing a good job in protection, explore sustainable utilization methods, add impetus to economic and social development, and inject momentum into the quality and efficiency of conservation work.
As an important source of protein, fish occupies a place in the human diet. In particular, many indigenous fish grow slowly and have good meat and good taste, which meets the high-quality dietary needs of consumers. Rational use of fish resources, we must give full play to this advantage. It should be seen that some indigenous freshwater fish have a long growth cycle, and some have harsh domestication and breeding conditions, and most of them cannot be directly brought to the table through artificial breeding. Taking “Banyou No. 1” as an example, the bred golden thread barb not only has strong disease resistance and short growth cycle, but also achieves the improvement of edible quality, and the commercial breeding prospects are considerable. At the same time, using the unique genes contained in indigenous fish to improve the quality of commercial fish is also an important way to promote fishery development and help people increase their income. For example, the super carp containing the gene of the indigenous fish Yuanjiang carp has now occupied a large share of the commercial carp market.
Rational use of fish resources also needs to pay attention to the “good-looking” side of indigenous fish and tap the “fun” value. Nowadays, my country’s ornamental fish has formed a huge industry with an annual output value of about 10 billion yuan. Silver arowana and fighting fish are loved by people because of their beauty. Making better use of the ornamental value of indigenous fishes such as Yunnan rayfish and plateau loach is expected to drive more people to love fish and protect them. In addition, the comprehensive utilization of local ecological resources will help provide a better habitat and display platform for fish. For example, in Majie Township, Kunming City, local enterprises carried out aboriginal fish science exhibitions and nature education to realize the integration of protection and utilization; in Lubuge Buyi and Miao Nationality Township, Qujing City, the local area was developing tourism on the Duoyi River while taking overall consideration of the indigenous peoples. Fish protection enriches the tourism landscape.
The “Opinions on Further Strengthening Biodiversity Conservation” issued last year by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee proposed to regulate biodiversity-friendly business activities, guide and regulate the use of biological resources, and carry out natural education, ecological Activities such as tourism and health care to build a high-quality and diversified ecological product system. This reminds us that we should neither take the old road of excessive demand and prey on wild indigenous fish at will, nor stop at the low-level development of a single product, but should strengthen deep-level development and improve the overall utilization level.
Some experts said that my country has huge potential for rational development and utilization of biological resources. Relevant departments take active actions to protect habitats, collect and breed species resources, and at the same time mobilize market forces to encourage and guide scientific research units and enterprises to restore the wild population of indigenous fish by purchasing fry, multiplying and releasing them. All parties working together will surely open up more new paths for the sustainable utilization of fish resources. “People’s Daily” (April 12, 2022 Edition 05)