For decades, Wang Zhaobing, 58, like many villagers in his community, relied on aquaculture and fishing for his livelihood.

Living beside the Danjiangkou Reservoir, a vital water source in China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project, Wang's life revolved around the water. However, 10 years ago, he made a decision that would change not only his life, but also the lives of the people in the local community.

The Danjiangkou Reservoir, which holds over 29 billion cubic meters of water, is crucial for transferring water from southern to northern provinces in China. It serves as the starting point for the middle route of the diversion project, which supplies water to Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Henan and Hebei.

In 2014, in response to government policies aimed at protecting the aquatic ecosystem, Wang decided to dismantle his aquaculture cages. The decision sparked a debate among fellow villagers, many of whom feared losing their primary source of income.

"At that time, the government introduced policies to clean up aquaculture cages to protect the aquatic ecosystem," Wang said. "Some villagers really resisted, as this would mean losing our original source of income."

Wang soon realized that overfishing and unsustainable aquaculture practices were threatening the water source. He decided to take action, emphasizing the importance of sustainable development.

He told other fishermen they could not just focus on immediate benefits and also needed to consider future generations, for whom a healthy aquatic ecosystem was a precondition for long-term prosperity.

His call for change resonated within the community, and all the villagers eventually removed their aquaculture cages.

The scale of the cleanup effort was significant. In one district of Danjiangkou county in Shiyan, Hubei province, nearly 20,000 aquaculture cages needed to be cleared. Over the next three years, all the owners complied, moving to new villages onshore and starting fresh lives.

Huang Jinliang, the secretary of the local forest farm, said the transition went beyond removing cages.

"Many fishermen became volunteers, joining local water conservation efforts and becoming 'water guardians'," Huang said. "They now help clean up the Hanjiang River and monitor water levels during flood season."

In 2020, the county government established a team to handle garbage and floating debris on the river. Huang recruited 12 villagers from Jijiagou village, including former fishermen and forest workers, to join the team.

"We clean up the garbage along the Hanjiang River every day, especially during the flood season when the amount of garbage and floating objects increases," Huang said. "Sometimes we work from 5 in the morning until the afternoon to protect the safety of the dam."

That same year, a fishing ban was implemented to further protect the reservoir. Once again, Wang took the lead, handing over his fishing boat and nets despite his concerns about finding a new way to support his family. He soon joined the forest farm's water conservation team and became a leader.

Over the past four years, Wang has made over 700 boat trips, covering more than 7,000 kilometers while leading his team of 11 in patrolling the reservoir. They work to prevent illegal fishing, littering and other activities that could harm the aquatic ecosystem.

"Whenever we see someone illegally fishing, doing laundry, littering, grazing or swimming, we immediately intervene," Wang said. "Some villagers and tourists may not fully understand this, so we patiently explain the concept of environmental protection to everyone."

Thanks to the collective efforts of local residents, the water in the Danjiangkou Reservoir is clearer, and surrounding villages are cleaner. Many former fishermen have started planting crops such as oranges and dates, finding new ways to make a living.

"My grandson is in third grade now," Huang said. "He says he is most proud that his grandfather cleans the Yangtze River and is a truly remarkable person."

Contact the writers at yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn