A fishing boat floats on the Danjiangkou Reservoir in Xichuan county, Nanyang. [Photo / hnr.cn]

Xichuan county in Nanyang, Henan province, extended its closed fishing season for another month, from March 1 to June 30, according to the local water conservancy department on Feb 29.

A government official said that all fishing operations are forbidden during this period. "Fishes caught in closed area or within the closed fishing period are forbidden to sell, purchase or produce. People should not produce, sell or publicize forbidden fishing gear," he added.

During the period, Xichuan county will crack down on illegal fishing in a bid to protect fish stocks and facilitate local economic development.

Edited by Owen Fishwick