LUO Zhijun (L), deputy head of Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People’s Congress, interacted with IHB's deputy director Prof. HU Zhengyu (middle) and Prof. WANG Ding.

A delegation led by LUO Zhijun, deputy head of Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People’s Congress, paid a visit to Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IHB) on Sept. 22, 2016. During their stay, they visited the Baiji Dolphinarium and learned about the conservation status of the Yangtze finless porpoises.    

IHB Prof. WANG Ding introduced the historic development of Baiji Dolphinarium and the living and conservation status of the Yangtze finless porpoise. He said that the Yangtze finless porpoise is the flagship species that can indicate the ecosystem status of the Yangtze River. Protecting the Yangtze finless porpoise is not merely an issue about species protection, but more importantly, it’s about the protection of the whole Yangtze ecosystem.   

After hearing Prof. Wang’s introduction, LUO Zhijun said that all efforts shall be made in protecting the Yangtze ecosystem and the Yangtze finless porpoise so that the tragic fate of Baiji dolphin could be avoided. During Luo’s term as the Party secretary of Jiangsu Province, IHB participated in the construction of the second provincial nature reserve for the Yangtze finless porpoise in Nanjing section of the Yangtze River. This reserve helped the effective restoration of the living status of the Yangtze finless porpoise. Luo said that he once saw the Yangtze finless porpoise coming out of the water in the Xiaguan section of the Yangtze. He also took part in the fish releasing and breeding activity in Nanjing.    

Guided by the technical staff, Luo interacted with the Yangtze finless porpoise.    

Luo’s visit to IHB was part of the investigation of the Yangtze Law’s proposed legislation. At the seminar arranged for this investigation, IHB Prof. WANG Hongzhu gave a presentation on the suggestions to the strategic protection of the water ecological environment of the Yangtze River. He put forth four suggestions: to accelerate the legislation of the Yangtze Law and determine the property rights of water resources and responsible subjects; to formulate the overall plan for the protection of the ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin; to establish the management system of water ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin; to strengthen the study of the strategic protection of the water ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin.  

LUO Zhijun, deputy head of Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People’s Congress, interacted with the Yangtze finless porpoise.