Villagers thrive as cold-water fish industry flourishes
2024-08-13 20:08:44
By Chen Si, Yichang International Communication Studio
The western mountainous areas of Yichang are abundant in dense forests and streams, creating a thriving ecological environment. In recent years, Yichang Aquatic Technology Promotion Station has guided villagers in Xingshan, Zigui and other counties to pursue an additional source of income by raising poplar fish by using the cold water brought in from nearby rivers.”
The Xingshan poplar fish is a local indigenous fish, scientifically known as Schizothorax prenanti. They swim in groups or piles, like the branches and leaves of a poplar tree, hence the name given to them by locals.
The breeding base of Yichang Zhaojun Indigenous Fisheries Development Co., Ltd. is located in Baizhu Village, Xingshan County and the ponds there are used to breed poplar fish of various sizes and specifications.
These fish mainly live in the Xiangxi River and are incredibly important economically in the mountainous areas of western Yichang. Since the end of the last century, due to environmental changes and overfishing, the poplar fish population has drastically dropped and was at one point even on the verge of extinction.
To protect the species, Yichang Aquatic Technology Promotion Station led the compiling of the Technical Standard for Artificial Reproduction of Schizothorax Prenanti, which was published and widely used. This caused there to be a great boost in the development of the industry.
"We use micro-flow water breeding and imitation ecological technologies to bring in fresh water from Laojun Mountain to mimic the natural environment of the poplar fish. The survival rate of the artificially bred fry has increased from 2 percent 10 years ago to more than 95 percent today," said Hu Minghai, head of Zhaojun Indigenous Fisheries Company.
He added that poplar fish grown in an environment with excellent water quality, oxygen-rich water and natural bait will have a longer growth cycle and achieve better quality.
In cities such as Wuhan and Yichang, the poplar fish is especially popular and sells at a stable price of more than 160 yuan (US$22.30) per kilogram, compared to 26 yuan per kilogram for a grass carp fish. The company also supplies more than 1 million fish fry to local and out-of-town clients each year.
Nowadays, Baizhu Village has built two cold-water fish breeding bases, with an annual output of more than five tonnes of indigenous fish. In 2023, the income from cold-water fish and fish fry reached more than 1.2 million yuan.
The company has led 21 villagers to develop poplar fish farming and lodging, with an average annual increase of more than 20,000 yuan for each household. A tourism industry chain integrating fish farming, fish appreciation, fish eating and fishing is emerging.
In addition to Xingshan, cold-water fish farming is also gradually developing in Zigui County. The Maoxiang Indigenous Fish Farming Professional Cooperative is engaged in the breeding and farming of poplar fish and giant salamanders.
The western mountainous areas of Yichang are abundant in dense forests and streams, creating a thriving ecological environment. In recent years, Yichang Aquatic Technology Promotion Station has guided villagers in Xingshan, Zigui and other counties to pursue an additional source of income by raising poplar fish by using the cold water brought in from nearby rivers.”
The Xingshan poplar fish is a local indigenous fish, scientifically known as Schizothorax prenanti. They swim in groups or piles, like the branches and leaves of a poplar tree, hence the name given to them by locals.
The breeding base of Yichang Zhaojun Indigenous Fisheries Development Co., Ltd. is located in Baizhu Village, Xingshan County and the ponds there are used to breed poplar fish of various sizes and specifications.
These fish mainly live in the Xiangxi River and are incredibly important economically in the mountainous areas of western Yichang. Since the end of the last century, due to environmental changes and overfishing, the poplar fish population has drastically dropped and was at one point even on the verge of extinction.
To protect the species, Yichang Aquatic Technology Promotion Station led the compiling of the Technical Standard for Artificial Reproduction of Schizothorax Prenanti, which was published and widely used. This caused there to be a great boost in the development of the industry.
"We use micro-flow water breeding and imitation ecological technologies to bring in fresh water from Laojun Mountain to mimic the natural environment of the poplar fish. The survival rate of the artificially bred fry has increased from 2 percent 10 years ago to more than 95 percent today," said Hu Minghai, head of Zhaojun Indigenous Fisheries Company.
He added that poplar fish grown in an environment with excellent water quality, oxygen-rich water and natural bait will have a longer growth cycle and achieve better quality.
In cities such as Wuhan and Yichang, the poplar fish is especially popular and sells at a stable price of more than 160 yuan (US$22.30) per kilogram, compared to 26 yuan per kilogram for a grass carp fish. The company also supplies more than 1 million fish fry to local and out-of-town clients each year.
Nowadays, Baizhu Village has built two cold-water fish breeding bases, with an annual output of more than five tonnes of indigenous fish. In 2023, the income from cold-water fish and fish fry reached more than 1.2 million yuan.
The company has led 21 villagers to develop poplar fish farming and lodging, with an average annual increase of more than 20,000 yuan for each household. A tourism industry chain integrating fish farming, fish appreciation, fish eating and fishing is emerging.
In addition to Xingshan, cold-water fish farming is also gradually developing in Zigui County. The Maoxiang Indigenous Fish Farming Professional Cooperative is engaged in the breeding and farming of poplar fish and giant salamanders.
Local farmer holds a poplar fish at a breeding farm.
