An expert consultation meeting on the "Action Plan for Saving the Yangtze Finless Porpoise (2026-2035)" was held at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on September 30, 2025. 

In his opening remarks, IHB director MIAO Wei acknowledged the significant results of the previous action plan, which successfully reversed the population decline of the Yangtze finless porpoise, while emphasizing that conservation challenges remain serious. He highlighted the necessity and timeliness of this new initiative, led by the Yangtze River Basin Fisheries Supervision and Administration Office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and reaffirmed IHB's role as a national leader in porpoise research and conservation.

The meeting confirmed that the plan will be jointly developed by the Yangtze River Basin Fisheries Supervision and Administration Office, IHB, and the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences. Participants reviewed the outcomes of the previous plan and the current status of the species, then engaged in in-depth discussions on the core content of the new decade-long strategy. Consensus was reached on the overall conservation goals, ten key actions including the protection of critical habitats, and specific priority projects, ensuring both strategic guidance and practical feasibility. 

Director JIANG Kaiyong of the Yangtze River Basin Fisheries Supervision and Administration Office requested the drafting units to refine the plan based on expert feedback, with a focus on strengthening the logical connections between actions and their alignment with objectives, to finalize a high-quality and actionable document.