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and also because they were harmful to fisheries resources (Zhou & Wang, 1994; Zhou et al.,
1998). This protective legislation led to prosecution and imprisonment of a small number of
fishermen found guilty of killing baiji (Zhou &
Zhang, 1991). Awareness-raising efforts
addressing the importance of baiji conservation were carried out, notably through the
production of considerable baiji ‗souvenirs' or merchandise (e.g. stamps, key rings, badges,
clothing, beer), distribution of educational materials (brochures, posters) among riverside
communities by research institutes working with the Fisheries Management Bureau in Hunan,
Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, and national newspaper and television reports
on the status of the species (Adams &
Carwardine, 1990; Chen et al., 1997; Zhou et al.,
1998). Since 1986, a series of river sections at Shishou, Honghu (Xin-Luo), Tongling and
Zhenjiang were officially designated as National or Provincial Baiji Reserves, where more
stringent regulations on fishing, pollution and vessel traffic were proposed; the longest of
these protected sections, the Xin-Luo National Baiji Reserve between Xintankou and
Luoshan, was 135 km long (Zhou et al., 1994, 1998; Figure 4). A further series of protection
stations were set up along the river at Jianli, Chenglingji, Hukou, Anqing and Zhenjiang,
where it was intended that reserve staff would make daily patrols to monitor baiji populations,
control fishing restrictions, rescue injured, sick or stranded animals, and provide further
conservation education for riverside communities (Zhou et al., 1994; Figure 4).
Figure 4. Locations of National and Provincial Baiji Reserves (dashed circles), protection stations (open
stars), and semi-natural reserves in the main Yangtze channel and associated water bodies.
However, these measures proved to be inadequate in preventing the continued decline of
baiji in the main Yangtze channel. Although it has been suggested that the establishment of
in
situ
reserves helped slow the decline of Yangtze cetaceans through the effective banning of
harmful and illegal fishing methods (K. Wang et al., 2006), these regulations were considered
difficult or impossible to enforce (Zhou et al., 1998), despite recommendations to strengthen
enforcement in combination with further public education (Sheng, 1998b). In reality it is
difficult to assess the extent to which practical enforcement was ever attempted by regional
fisheries authorities and reserve staff, as rolling hook long-lining remains one of the
commonest fishing methods in the Yangtze in both protected and unprotected river sections
today, with fishermen prepared to discuss illegal fishing practices openly with foreign
researchers and officials (pers. obs.; Figure 3). Administrative agencies in charge of
in situ
reserves were recognized to lack the resources either to reduce the rapid ongoing increase in
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