Abstract: Spatio-temperal dynamic changes in ponding and enclosure culture in the Taihu Lake were studied with the aid of Landsat TM,Landsat ETM⁺ and aerial photography.The results show that a total of 4.45 km² of water surface was turned into ponds for fish-rearing in the period from 1984 to 2003.The exploitation proceeded at a much lower rate and on a much smaller scale than that in the period from the 1950′s to the mid-1970′s,and took place mainly in Suzhou.Enclosure culture has been developing rapidly in the Taihu Lake,especially since 1995.Its area was 13.17 km² in 1990,and expanded to (25.95) km² in 1995 and 107.72 km² in 2003.The expansion rate of enclosure culture in (1995-2003) was four times as high as that in (1990-1995.)A large proportion of enclosure culture occurred in the East Taihu Lake,and used up 81.90% of its water surface in 2003.

Key words: reclamation, enclosure culture, dynamic change, Taihu Lake, remote sensing