胭脂鱼为我国特有鱼类 ,已知仅分布于长江和闽江。目前胭脂鱼在长江水系中的资源量明显减少 ,数量已较国家一类水生野生保护动物中华鲟和达氏鲟为少 ;闽江胭脂鱼种群几近绝迹。造成胭脂鱼资源下降的原因主要与其自身繁殖力低 ,发育时间长 ,以及过度捕捞和水域污染等因素有关。人工放流是恢复长江胭脂鱼资源的重要手段。

Myxocyprinus asiaticus(Bleeker) is a kind of endemic species of fish in China.The fish is only distributed naturally in Changjiang(Yangtze) and Minjiang Rivers,but the stock of the fish distributed in Minjiang River may be disappeared at present.The population of the fish living in Changjiang River has gone down quickly in the past two or three decades.The fish has been designated by the state as the second rank of aquatically protected animals,but its stock in Changjiang River has been less than two Chinese sturgeons,Acipenser sinensis and A.dabrynus,designated by the state as the first rank of aquatically protected animals.The reasons accountable for the decline of the fish resources are due to the low reproduction capacity and the long development time of the fish,overfishing and water pollution.The return of the individuals cultured is one of the main measures to recover the natural resources of Myxocyprinus asiaticus.