Public Concern of Fishing and Conservation Under the ‘Ten‐Year Fishing Ban’ Policy: Implications to Action Planning for Riverine Cetaceans

ABSTRACT Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the major anthropogenic impacts threatening aquatic ecosystem functioning. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR), effective mitigation measures for IUU fishing are still absent, primarily due to gaps in prioritizing conservation actions and limited enforcement capabilities. In the present study, keywords associated with public concern, resource endowments and conservation efforts on online platforms were searched and analysed using the entropy‐weighting method to identify major areas in the MLYR requiring immediate mitigation measures against IUU fishing. Key factors associated with the variation in public concern in these major areas were examined to discuss the feasibility of guiding actions against IUU fishing. From 2011 to 2023, public concern on IUU fishing were increasing, though the trend for recreational angling was not statistically significant. Following the implementation of the ‘Ten‐Year Fishing Ban’ policy in Yangtze River, public concern on IUU fishing significantly increased. Changes in public concern were correlated with domestic human population, GDP, water area and the number of fishers. The results of entropy‐weighting analysis highlighted the catchments of Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake as the major areas for reinforcing IUU fishing mitigation. In Poyang Lake, the areas requiring reinforced patrols and enforcement against IUU fishing include habitats around the river mouth of the Ganjiang River and central‐eastern part of the lake during the flood season and the southern and eastern tributaries of the lake during the dry season. We recommend advancing the application of web‐based data in biodiversity conservation and encouraging policy interventions to engage anglers as advocates for aquatic conservation, fostering a sound patrol network through social engagement.