Chongming Island leads in protection of Yangtze River environment
Wu Wenxiang, a fisherman from Laogang Harbor in Chengqiao Town, came to the riverbank for a walk on a recent evening. Looking out into the distance, he still remembers the fishing boat he boarded in his childhood and the days his parents went outing to fish.
On August 11, 2018, fishermen from Chongming retreated from the Yangtze River. The waters at the mouth of the river, which are rich in fish and shrimps, were closed to fishing from then on, more than a year earlier than the 10-year Yangtze River fishing ban.
Nowadays, former fishermen have become "protectors" of the river and the stocks it contains. In the past two years, Wu has witnessed changes in the Chongming section of the Yangtze River.
"There are more swordfish, and the finless porpoise has become a frequent visitor, which was almost impossible previously," Wu said.
Chongming is the "bridgehead" of the protection of the Yangtze River. The number of sewage outfalls into the river accounts for about two-thirds of the total number in the Shanghai area of the Yangtze River Basin. Chongming has created a database of "one file for one pollution," and continued to maintain the traceability and remediation of sewage outfalls into the Yangtze River.
The round-the-island levee covers the longest riverside avenue in Shanghai. In the past, the eastern and western sections of the levee were occupied by shipyards, and cement, steel and other enterprise docks, with sewage discharged directly into the river.
Chongming is striving to build itself into a world-class ecological Island.
The Chongming government successively shut down a number of polluting enterprises, returning the beaches and water to the people. Nowadays, the levee around the island has become a popular spot residents and visitors.
In 2016, the People's Court of Chongming District established the first environmental resources tribunal in Shanghai, and the People's Procuratorate of Chongming District set up the first ecological procuratorial work station, handling the first cross-provincial administrative public interest litigation case of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in Shanghai.
Chongming also promotes the construction of intelligent water services, relying on the "all-in-one" platform to achieve refined management of the water industry.
