The Yellow River estuary has rich biological resources. It represents the spawning area for many fish species of the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea, and an important fishing ground in the northern China Sea (Shan et al., 2013). Laizhou Bay is an estuary of the Yellow River, and has high primary productivity. It represents an essential nursing and feeding area for many species (2et al., 2013). There is low biomass in the river, but the presence of few and unique indigenous fish make the conservation of fish species an important element of environmental protection. According to a China WaterCentre report, there are 191 species and subspecies in the Yellow River. The China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals includes 3 fish and 15 autochthon fish that are found in the Yellow River.
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Both climate change and human-induced changes, such as overfishing, pollution, dam construction, environmental degradation and land reclamation, are factors leading to changes in fish resources. Overfishing leads to the depletion of high-trophic level species, and has an impact on other species by altering the food chain. It has also been found that climate change, with more alterations in atmospheric environments, can change fish stocks through changes in distribution (in the trophic structures), in stock abundance and in the diversity of the fish community. The construction of large dams and reservoirs is also a major factor in fish stock changes. Decreases in sediment flux and runoff caused by the construction of those big projects leads to coastal erosion and in turn a decline in ecosystem service functions. Other factors such as the increased agricultural and coastal industry development, combined with increases in population, have led to greater wastes produced and increased pollution in the Yellow River (Jin et al.,
Both climate change and human-induced changes, such as overfishing, pollution, dam construction, environmental degradation and land reclamation, are factors leading to changes in fish resources. Overfishing leads to the depletion of high-trophic level species, and has an impact on other species by altering the food chain. It has also been found that climate change, with more alterations in atmospheric environments, can change fish stocks through changes in distribution (in the trophic structures), in stock abundance and in the diversity of the fish community. The construction of large dams and reservoirs is also a major factor in fish stock changes. Decreases in sediment flux and runoff caused by the construction of those big projects leads to coastal erosion and in turn a decline in ecosystem service functions. Other factors such as the increased agricultural and coastal industry development, combined with increases in population, have led to greater wastes produced and increased pollution in the Yellow River (Jin et al.,