The Aquatic Animal Conservation and Ecological Safety Summit was held at IHB on March 18, 2023. (Credit: IHB)

Nearly 300 experts and scholars in the field of aquatic biology gathered at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on March 18, 2023 for the Aquatic Animal Conservation and Ecological Safety Summit. The primary goal of the summit was to explore new methods and technologies for the conservation of aquatic animals and the promotion of ecological safety in waters.  

Renowned scientists attended the summit, including Professor CAO Wenxuan, the first scientist to advocate for the "ten-year fishing ban," and other distinguished attendees such as Professor GUI Jianfang, Professor SONG Weibo, Professor BAO Zhenmin, and Professor LIU Shaojun.   

The opening ceremony was hosted by MIAO Wei, vice president of Hubei Zoological Society and deputy director of IHB. XIE Shouqi, deputy director of IHB, CAO Wenxuan, chairman of the summit, SUN Jixiang, vice chairman of the Hubei Association for Science and Technology, and HE Shunping, president of Hubei Zoological Society and Wuhan Zoological Society, delivered speeches respectively.   

Professor CAO Wenxuan emphasized the need for continued research and scientific innovation to better protect aquatic animals and water ecological safety. In the context of the "10-year fishing ban" on the Yangtze River, he emphasized the importance of building a sustainable future for all aquatic animals.   

During the summit, a range of topics were presented by notable professors, including discussions on the mechanism of carp genome evolution and recent advancements in precise breeding techniques. Additionally, presentations covered the topics of germplasm conservation and creation in marine fisheries transformation and upgrading, as well as updates and future possibilities for Yangtze finless porpoise conservation research.   

The summit was also attended by ZHENG Hua, vice chairman of the Wuhan Association for Science and Technology, and LIANG Qiong, deputy director of IHB.   

The summit was organized by the Hubei Zoological Society and Wuhan Zoological Society, co-organized by IHB, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute under Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Institute of Hydroecology under Ministry of Water Resources and Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Huazhong Agricultural University, and co-sponsored by the editorial boards of ACTA Hydrobiologica Sinica and Water Biology and Security and Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation under Chinese Academy of Sciences.   

By inviting scholars from all over the world to participate in the research on the safety protection and ecological restoration of aquatic ecosystems, the summit showcased the latest achievements, provided new ideas and methods for aquatic animal conservation, and provided more ideas to promote the implementation of the "10-year fishing ban" plan.