The population of finless porpoises in the Changdao waters off Yantai City in east China's Shandong Province has exceeded 5,000 for the first time, according to a recent survey jointly conducted by the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and the management center of Changdao National Marine Park.

The significant achievement has been made because of efforts taken to conserve the coastal and marine ecosystem in the last few years.

Beginning in May 2019, the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute has undertaken a marine environmental protection project focusing on the population and migration of the narrow-ridged finless porpoise in waters of the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, with the support of the Bureau of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

"After three years of research on the narrow-ridged finless porpoise, we've found out that the species' population in the Changdao waters is at least 2,000, with the highest number reaching more than 5,000 at peak. We now confirm that the Changdao waters have the largest population of narrow-ridged finless porpoises of the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea. This result also indicates the good quality of the marine environment, with abundant food which can fully meet their living requirement. It is an important habitat for them," said Li Yongtao, doctor of the institute.

Changdao has carried out conservation and restoration of the entire area in recent years and has contributed greatly to the recovery of marine fishery resources.

As the marine ecological functions of the waters have been significantly improved, advanced marine species such as spotted seals and narrow-ridged finless porpoises have been observed more and more frequently.

(Cover image via VCG.)

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