A heritage site’s transition from fishing to ecotourism
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Fishermen, like farmers, are at the mercy of nature,” said the Tiaozini administrator. There is a natural balance between humans and wildlife, both of which coexist and adapt to their environments. The Tiaozini wetland and Badou village both work towards a sustainable future, where the absence of either hinders sustainable development.
The Tiaozini wetland, stretching across 600 square kilometers in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, was nominated for natural world heritage site in 2019. Situated in the middle of the East Asia-Australasia Flyway, Tiaozini was known for being a crucial stopover for over 50 million migratory birds a year, including endangered species such as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper.
Yet, this was not the case before 2019, when the thriving fishing industry in the Yancheng coastal area served as the backbone of the local economy. Net, line and trap fishing were common techniques, with almost every household involved. Major industries even earned 6 million yuan (US$825,200) within two months from selling fried fish.
“They call them the soft gold,” the wetland’s administrator added.
For centuries, local fishermen coexisted harmoniously with nature, their trade unbothered by small crabs foraged by flocks of birds. Compared to large-scale commercial fishing, they gleaned on the mudflat for “small gatherings,” collecting what remained after the birds fed.
“The fishermen rely on the sky for their meal,” she said, using a traditional metaphor.
Under the same roof, peaceful coexistence has always been the wetland’s pursuit, yet the extent of interactions remains questionable. The heritage nomination has gained Tiaozini unprecedented attention from tourists, but the increase in tourism threatens to disrupt the ecological landscape.
“When the tourists come, the birds disappear,” the administrator said, looking at the migratory sandpipers in the mudflat, revealing an intricate dynamic between nature and mankind.
In 2019, following the natural heritage title, Yancheng implemented the “Retire Fishing for Wetland Restoration” policy where major fishing activities and aquaculture businesses were prohibited, shifting from fishing to ecotourism that impacted the local residents in many ways.
Nevertheless, among the rigorous efforts of ecological conservation, it is crucial to never overlook the original inhabitants that comprise of not only the thousands of species of birds, but also fishermen who rely on the sea for their livelihood.
Badou village is an iconic locality that interacted incessantly with nature among flows of transitions inside the Tiaozini heritage site. Being the national pioneer of rural revitalization, the village, nicknamed “Golden Badou”, successfully transitioned from traditional fishing and mudflat aquaculture toward ecotourism in three decades. Consisting of 200 households, Badou went from being 400,000 yuan in debt in 1994 to reaching a surplus of 12 million yuan in 2024.
“The biggest feeling is that the change is too fast,” an old couple from the village recalled.
While living conditions were elevated with better roads and houses, safety and wellbeing increased prominently as well.
“Now we feel more secure, our community and the fishing administration keep us well-informed about weather conditions. We know exactly when it is safe to sail.”
In 2015, in response to calls for “vessel reduction” amid ecological concerns, fishermen “cleaned their feet and went ashore.” Teenagers that grew up in Badou were unwilling to inherit the fishing practices, while the health of older ones prevented them from fishing frequently.
As a result, the collective initiative of Zhongxin Aquaculture Cooperative was founded, giving each household an annual average dividend of 10,000 yuan over a land of 4,300 acres of marine aquaculture.
“During the transition, the village assisted us by replacing fishing vessels and securing loans during periods of financial constraints,” said the husband.
Badou villagers’ incomes increased at a steady pace. Tracking down history, Badou people grew with nature in Tiaozini. They confronted, prospered, and eventually lived off one another. From fishing to ecotourism, the interaction modes have evolved, but the essence of coping with one another remains.
(Xiong Meiheng is a student of YK
Pao School Shanghai.)