Xinjiang’s vast desert might not scream “fish farms,” but beneath its rivers and reclaimed lands, a quiet revolution is transforming the region into a cold-water aquaculture powerhouse 🌊🐟.
In early 2025, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region produced 74,800 tons of aquatic goods, a 6.49% jump from last year. Salmon took center stage, topping 5,000 tons – with the Ili River Valley delivering over 80% of that haul. Here, deep-water cage projects in Gongliu County release millions of fry into glacial-fed channels, showcasing local innovation at scale ❄️💧.
But it’s more than just salmon. Rainbow trout, golden trout, pike, shrimp and crayfish also thrive across varied landscapes. In Tekes County, snow-fed streams host cold-water fisheries, while salt-alkali soils in Shache and Jinghe now buzz with shrimp and crayfish farms, aptly nicknamed blue granaries 🌱.
So, what’s behind this boom? Xinjiang boasts 46 million mu of fishable waters, fed by oxygen-rich snowmelt from the Tianshan Mountains. To tap these riches, smart aquaculture systems monitor 12 water-quality parameters in real time, cutting labor costs by nearly a third while boosting yield and taste.
Seed independence is another game-changer. From relying on imports, local farms now have their own salmon breeding bases and can artificially propagate triploid rainbow trout. This leap in hatchery science means stability and national leadership in inland aquaculture 🧬🐣.
Remarkably, economic growth is balanced with ecological care. Annual stocking programs return millions of native fish to the Ili River, and careful cage management keeps pollution low. Sayram Lake’s crystal-clear waters, with visibility down to 16 meters, support both fish farming and eco-tourism, proving that development can go hand-in-hand with nature-friendly practices 🌿✨.
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Xinjiang's aquaculture: From snow-fed rivers to blue granaries
cgtn.com
