Pinglu Canal fishway reopens migratory routes after 66 years

A specially built fishway on the Pinglu Canal in Qinzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has reopened migratory routes for local fish species, restoring a natural cycle broken for 66 years.

Since monitoring equipment for the fishway went online in 2025, more than 83,400 fish have swum upstream, while 122,200 have traveled downstream. Over 10 fish species, including barbel chubs and mud carps, have used the corridor to complete their migration.

The migration path was cut off in 1959 after the construction of the Qingnian Sluice. The new underwater channel, built as part of the Pinglu Canal project, mends the broken ecological chain and allows aquatic life to resume their natural journey through the waterway.

Inside the fishway control room, engineers use sonar technology to track fish movements in real time, recording population counts and hydrological data. An underwater viewing chamber fitted with a large acrylic window lets observers watch small fish wriggle upstream.

The 480-meter dual-channel facility combines a vertical-slot fishway and China's first dedicated climbing passage for eels. Engineers added resting pools, innovative base structures, and water flow boosters to adjust current speed, accommodating fish of varying sizes.