Fishing ban begins on Chinese rivers

NANJING/GUANGZHOU, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The annual fishing ban on China's rivers began Thursday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The ban, from March 1 to June 30, will cover the main streams, tributaries and lakes along the Yangtze and Pearl rivers.

The fishing restriction will protect aquatic resources and biodiversity as overfishing threatens resources, authorities said.