Common cormorants catch fish in the lake. PHOTO BY YANG YIJIU/FOR CHINA DAILY

　　"That scene has already disappeared from the lake," Yang said.

　　To restore the ecological health of the Yangtze River, a 10-year fishing ban was implemented in 2021 across key waters of the Yangtze basin, alongside broader efforts to curb pollution and rehabilitate river ecosystems. The cormorant fishing practice, once common across the Dongting Lake region, was banned along with all other forms of commercial fishing.

　　Yang, armed with his trusted photography equipment, has witnessed gradual changes across the lake since the major environmental protection campaign was launched. For instance, unrestrained sand dredging used to be a serious problem, degrading the lake"s water quality.

　　"The water used to be muddy yellow most of the time. You would only see clear water during the Spring Festival and National Day holidays, when everything shut down for a couple of days," he said. "Now, though, it"s clear most of the time."

　　The recovery of the lake ecosystem has brought back more wildlife, which has become one of the key focus areas of Yang"s photography over the past two decades.

　　"Birds are the most joyful thing to photograph," he said. "Every season brings different species, and each bird has its own rhythm."

　　In another photo cherished by Yang, a herd of milu deer quietly enjoys the tranquility found in the bushes in the wetland.

　　A herd of milu deer grazes in the reedbed in Dongting Lake in Hunan. PHOTO BY YANG YIJIU/FOR CHINA DAILY