The Tuo River is a 655-kilomenter long river that is one major tributaries of the upper Yangtze River. Surrounded by rich ecological landscapes and green mountains, it is home to a variety of fish species including southern catfish, tilapia, long snout catfish and barbell fish. The ten-year fishing ban in the entire Yangtze River that started on January 1, 2020 paved way to the conservation and protection of the Tuo River. Nevertheless, illegal fishing activities still occur within its waters from time to time, which are mostly undetectable and hidden from plain sight. To address this pressing issue, Dahua’s robust surveillance solution was implemented to provide 24/7 monitoring of the Tuo River against such activities, thus protecting the natural aquatic resources in the river.

The "thousand mile eye" on the river

The Tuo River extends up to 94 kilometers within the territory of Fushun County. It is accompanied by numerous tributaries, forming a branched water system network. The river is winding and the shore is covered with shrubs, which has become a natural barrier for various fishing activities. Nonetheless, this natural protection also hinders the regular patrolling in the area.

According to a local management personnel, during the early implementation of the fishing ban, they mainly focused on daily patrols and receiving reports. “Previously, within our river territories, we would inspect each area along the bank point by point, which would take at least five to six hours. Once we found any violators, we would go forward to stop them and collect their illegal fishing tackles on the spot. However, we’re mostly noticed ahead of time, so by the time we arrive at the scene, they’re already gone.“

If they receive a report, these dedicated personnel will also be stationed at designated locations, arranging staff upstream and downstream in the corresponding area and across the riverbank. If a violator is found, they will call through their walkie-talkies and go through the rigorous water path, without assurance that they’ll catch the culprit.

With Dahua’s video monitoring solution, the patrolling process is simplified to be more efficient and effective. With the goal of covering the entire river, Dahua set up several video collection points in key water areas and regions of Tuo River in Fushun County. Daily inspections are automatically completed by the system, while the management personnel complete their patrols from the command center. The system conducts a one-on-one inspection of preset points every half an hour – around 30 seconds for each point. During this period, violations are automatically identified and assessed. When abnormal situations are found, the management personnel will receive an alarm on the platform, prompting them to review real-time footages for any illegal activities in the river and respond in time if necessary.

The "eye" in the darkness

When conducting on-site patrols, the most difficult task is indeed the night patrols. Illegal fishing activities also frequently occur during dark nights. The low light condition along the riverbanks makes it difficult to monitor the area. In addition, the location of violators is somewhat hidden, making it harder to detect in a timely manner.

Dahua thermal camera can break through visual limitations. Utilizing thermal imaging technology, intruders or illegal fishing vessels in dark environments can be quickly detected and apprehended. Even if the violators try to escape, the system can still process and analyze their whereabouts in time.

"During video patrols, thermal imaging makes the images appear as bright as day. Unauthorized people are particularly visible in the scene. The real-time location, ship direction, and surrounding conditions can be obtained through video playback, which is something that cannot be done with the naked eye alone.”

Remote processing of information enables quick resolution

At present, the management of river sections is implemented through a grid division of labor. “Previously, personnel allocation could only be notified by phone, level by level, and the location and situation had to be repeatedly explained during the process. After on-site processing and registration, the handling situation was first reported by phone, and then relevant documents were reported after returning to the station.”

By comparison, in actual operation, the current process can complete task delivery in only two to three minutes, and minor anomalies can be handled within half an hour. The secret lies in the intelligent closed-loop management system.

“When an abnormal event is sent to the command center, we will retrieve relevant images. In minor cases, we will call them remotely to warn them to leave. If a personnel needs to be on site, we can dispatch the task to the frontline. The frontline can quickly understand the situation based on received information and arrange their personnel to arrive in time.”

As the forefront of ecological security protection in the Tuo River, Fushun County has detected 145 abnormal events through remote patrols since March 2022, reducing patrol costs and improving efficiency in monitoring and handling illegal fishing activities in the river.

Dahua utilizes technology to conserve the environment, empower water resources with digital intelligence, and help protect aquatic biodiversity. We will continue to adhere to the innovation of digital intelligence technology, explore more scenario-based applications, and assist in the construction of healthy and abundant natural resources around the world.