data&code2025.zip

Natural resources management policies are critical for biodiversity preservation, yet their broader socioeconomic implications remain poorly understood. Using the seasonal fishing ban implemented along the Yangtze River since 2003 as a case study, we provide the first causal evidence of how such policies may unintentionally enhance science and innovation by increasing the availability and diversity of research materials. The analysis reveals that the ban spurred higher quality research inquiries about Yangtze River fish. Funded programs doubled and funding amounts more than tripled. Scientific output grew dramatically, with publications more than tripled, citations augmented more than five-fold, and related books, patents, awards, and media coverage all significantly increased. We demonstrate that the relative increase in biological research materials (in both quantity and diversity) drives the result, rather than other attention-based or policy-based channels. We conclude that preserving nature is not only an ecological duty but could also be a strategic investment in the future of science and innovation.