China's fourth-largest freshwater lake, Hongze Lake, started a three-month fishing ban in order to restock fishery resources in the lake, local authorities said Friday.

During the fishing suspension, fish fry valued at 5 million yuan (794,000 U.S. dollars) will be released into the lake in east China's Jiangsu Province to help achieve sustainable growth of fishery resources, said Ye Jianfeng, an official with the Hongze County Aquaculture Bureau.

The ban will affect over 1,000 fishing families. They have been ordered to idle their fishing boats at designated places away from the main body of the lake, Ye said.

"After the ban is put in place, the fish on the market will be mainly supplied by local fish farms. There is no question that supply can meet demand," Ye said.

"The only things affected are wild fish and shrimp," he said. "In a couple of days, there won't be any wild fresh fish and shrimp from Hongze Lake on sale in the market."

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