Annual fishing ban starts on Yangtze River

 　　WUHAN, April 1, (Xinhua) -- An annual three-month fishing ban began on Sunday on the middle and lower reaches of China's Yangtze River as part of efforts to preserve fish stocks.

　　The ban, which will be in place from April 1 to June 30, also applies to the Hanjiang River, a key tributary¹ of the Yangtze River that flows through central China's Hubei province, according to the Ministry² of Agriculture.

　　Fishing and other activities that may threaten fish will be banned on the rivers during the period, while fishermen affected³ by the ban will receive subsidies⁴. The government of Wuhuan will release about 50 million young fish into the rivers during the ban.

　　The seasonal⁵ ban, designed to protect the river's fishery resources, has been in place since 2002. The ban covers a section of the Yangtze River between the Gezhouba Dam in Hubei and the river's estuary⁶.

　　Another three-month fishing ban for a separate section located between the river's headwaters and the Gezhouba Dam started on February 1.

1 tributary   

n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的

参考例句：

• There was a tributary road near the end of the village.村的尽头有条岔道。
• As the largest tributary of Jinsha river,Yalong river is abundant in hydropower resources.雅砻江是金沙江的最大支流，水力资源十分丰富。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

6 estuary   

n.河口，江口

参考例句：

• We live near the Thames estuary.我们的住处靠近泰晤士河入海口。
• The ship has touched bottom.The estuary must be shallower than we thought.船搁浅了。这河口的水比我们想像的要浅。