GUANGZHOU, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- China will extend its Pearl River fishing ban to four months from the previous two months to better protect its fishery resources and ecological environment.

A new rule published by the Ministry of Agriculture states that the new fishing ban starts on March 1 and ends June 30 in the Pearl River, the Minjiang River and Hainan Province rivers, according to the ocean and fishery department of Guangdong Province.

The rule takes effect on March 1. Previously, the fishing ban was imposed from April 1 to June 1. The fishing ban in the Pearl River began in 2010.

During the fishing moratorium, law enforcement will be carried out against any illegal fishing and related activity.

The Pearl River in southern China passes through the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong. The river delta area is the country's key manufacturing hub.