China and Russia conducted joint fishery law enforcement and released sturgeon (Acipenser) and Kaluga sturgeon (Huso dauricus) fingerlings into boundary waters near Fuyuan City of Heilongjiang Province, China on 29 July 2017.
The release aimed at implementing China-Russia Protocol on Fisheries Resources Conservation, Adjustment and Restocking in Boundary Waters of the Heilongjiang River (Amur River) and the Wusuli River (Ussuri River). Vice Minister Yu Kangzhen, officials from Heilongjiang Province of China and Amurskaya Oblast of the Russian Federation attended the event.
Vice Minister Yu stressed that aquatic biological resources are important material foundation for sustainable fisheries development and aquatic biosecurity, and restocking represents an effective measure for aquatic resources and ecology conservation. The Heilongjiang River and the Wusuli River are spawning and feeding grounds as well as key migration routes for rare fishes including sturgeon and Kaluga sturgeon. It is in the common interests of the two countries and fishermen along the two rivers to implement the above-mentioned Protocol and conduct joint law enforcement and conserve sturgeon, Kaluga sturgeon and other rare species.
Over 200,000 fingerlings of sturgeon and Kaluga sturgeon were released into the Heilongjiang River for this time. Under the Protocol, more than one million fingerlings of various species shall be released into the boundary waters annually.