On May 25, Three Gorges Fat Fish (Leiocassis longirostris Günther) Production Base---Baisuixi Ecological Fishery Research Project, went through field research and rigorous appraisal from 7 experts of Yangtze River Fishery Resources Management Committee, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science and Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, finally passed the inspection. The ecological fish farming model will make "Yichang Model" access to the whole country.

　　Traditionally, fish keepers put much artificial compound feed rich in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus into water. However, to remove part of the nutrients only by fishing will cause imbalance in the farming ecosystem.

　　In 2009, Three Gorges Fat Fish Production Base and Shanghai Ocean University signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to establish a base of "production, learning and research" at Baisuixi in the Three Gorges Reservoir and to carry out a research project under the leadership of Professor Wang.

　　In the past four years, the experts have done the experiments on seed breeding and optimization, disease prevention, feed processing and water environmental protection, made ecological structure standards and technical standards for the breeding process and taken the lead in building up a new model of ecological farming at home. And they have simulated environmental conditions of natural water bodies so as to make Three Gorges fat fish grow in a natural cycle. The fish will be sold on the market in three to four years, with superb quality and taste.

　　During the process, the base has set up a detritus and plankton utilization system---water retention with fish, and a higher aquatic plant utilization system---water purification with grass. The ecological model not only improves water quality in aquaculture area where new periphyton provides a hotbed for fish to spawn, but beautifies the environment and forms a "green island" effect, enriching wild fish resources in the reservoir.

　　In the project, Shanghai Ocean University has won two special inventions and published five papers.

　　The experts at the inspection meeting believed the principle "combination of planting and breeding, ecological balance" produced ecological, economic and social benefits, and suggested the project team to actively seek the support of relevant departments to popularize the model and make farmers get rich. (Reporter Gong Changjun)