To guarantee a better source of drinking water, the city of Shanghai will this year stop fishing in Dianshan Lake, the largest inland lake in Qingpu District.

It is the first of a series of actions to be taken about the lake which covers 65 square kilometers.

The lake, viewed as the source of the Huangpu River - the most important source of Shanghai's drinking water - used to be a large food bowl for local fishermen - but it is facing the increasingly serious problem of deteriorating water quality.

Garbage and hyacinth - which is prevalent because of the rich content of nitrogen resulting from fish's feeding - are often seen in the lake.

"The fishing obviously worsens the quality of the lake water and we have to stop it," said a deputy director of the Dianshan Lake Development Company established last July to take care of the project.

The source, surnamed Chen, did not reveal many details, saying that specific measures had not been taken.

The Shanghai Municipal Urban Planning Administration started the planning of the lake area in January 2004 and set up the development company.

Fishing will not be allowed on the lake from this year and the water quality of the river is expected to reach Level I of the national standard. It is currently Level II and III.

Surrounding land will be built into a tourism destination with recreational and entertainment facilities.

The fishermen will be compensated financially and be helped in finding new jobs to make a living.

Ruan Renliang, director of the Water Resources Management Division of the Shanghai Water Affairs Bureau confirmed that the treatment of the lake water was an important task of the city's second round of environmental protection action plan (2003-05.)

"Worsening water quality has caused big concern for the local government," he said. "Four sewage treatment plants are being constructed around the lake so as to prevent household and industrial sewage from flowing directly into the lake."

(China Daily February 25, 2005)