“无现金社会”的纠结：看起来很美 安全稳定性存疑

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, often described as the place farthest from the sea, has in recent years transformed perceptions by tapping into its water resources and embracing technological innovation. Across the region, aquaculture has taken root in valleys and on saline-alkali land, showcasing a new side of Xinjiang.

Nilka county in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang, nestled deep in the Tianshan Mountains along the upper reaches of the Kashi River, is blessed with abundant glacial water resources. With water temperatures ranging from 8 to 13 degrees Celsius throughout the year, it offers an ideal environment for breeding cold-water fish.

Since 2014, Xinjiang Tianyun Organic Agriculture Co., Ltd. has been engaged in salmon farming in Nilka county. The company now operates three breeding and processing bases in Ili, with a total water area of 147,000 mu (9,800 hectares) for cultivation and an annual production capacity of 12,000 tonnes.

Workers use a gentle fish pump to harvest salmon without causing damage at Xinjiang Tianyun Organic Agriculture Co., Ltd. in Nilka county, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Zhao Xuelin)

"To ensure the freshness of our salmon, we harvest the fish based on incoming orders. Recently, our breeding and processing base in Gongliu county has been receiving orders almost every day," said Ding Yaying, deputy general manager of the company.

Turpan, situated at the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, boasts abundant cold spring water resources ideal for salmon farming. According to Zhang Xin, head of the fish farm under Dahequan Cold-water Fish Co., Ltd. in Turpan, advanced breeding technologies enable the farm to keep water temperatures below 19 degrees Celsius even during the hottest summers. With a designed annual output capacity of 500 tonnes, the farm is expected to produce 350 tonnes this year.

A staff member catches fish at the cold-water fishing farm of a company in Turpan, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Cai Zengle)

In 2024, Xinjiang processed over 5,000 tonnes of salmon, said Zhang Mingyi, director of the fisheries and fishing administration of the department of agriculture and rural affairs of Xinjiang. Today, Xinjiang salmon has gone beyond the Tianshan Mountains, achieving full market coverage across first- and second-tier cities in China, and is also exported to Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

On June 21, Bosten Lake in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, officially opened its fishing season. Covering over 1,600 square kilometers, it is the largest lake in Xinjiang. The lake supports a diverse range of freshwater fish species, making it the largest fishing production base in Xinjiang and even in northwest China.

Staff members catch fish at the Swan Lake in Aral city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Li Li)

Since 1989, Bohu county, where Bosten Lake is located, has enforced a seasonal fishing ban in Bosten Lake. Through strict enforcement during the ban, artificial restocking, and public education on fisheries laws and regulations, the lake's fishery resources have been effectively preserved. In recent years, the county has also introduced an ecological crab-farming model. Each year around September, crabs from Bosten Lake are shipped to major markets in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, and beyond.

Fishermen catch fish at Bosten Lake in Bohu county, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Nian Lei)

Bosten Lake is home to 32 fish species, including grass carp, silver carp, common carp, and pond smelt. Last year, the lake yielded 5,300 tonnes of aquatic products. With enhanced restocking efforts this year, the output is expected to top 6,000 tonnes.

Sayram Lake, renowned for its rich stocks of Coregonus peled, has grown into one of China's leading cold-water fish breeding hubs. Back in 1998, Coregonus peled eggs were imported from Russia, and a dedicated cold-water breeding center was built to hatch them. More than 600,000 fry were successfully raised, becoming the first batch of Coregonus peled released into the lake. Today, Sayram Lake boasts a fully developed fishery industry chain, covering everything from fry hatching and stock release to harvesting, processing, and catering, with each stage generating economic returns.

Swan Lake lies on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert.

The lake, formed naturally along the alkaline drainage channels on the southern bank of the Tarim River, contains saline-alkaline water that was once largely discarded as useless. To better utilize the saline-alkaline resources and combat desertification, Associate Professor Song Yong from Tarim University's College of Life Science and Technology led a research team to develop an innovative model combining wastewater reuse, aquaculture, and desert irrigation. This approach has provided technical support for aquaculture at the lake, opening up new possibilities for fish farming on the desert's edge.

Currently, there are eight aquaculture companies and cooperatives operating across more than 1,500 mu of breeding waters at Swan Lake. The annual production value of these companies and cooperatives is projected to exceed 30 million yuan.

Xinjiang has more than 46 million mu of water bodies and tidal flats suitable for aquaculture, according to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Xinjiang. In 2024, the region produced 192,500 tonnes of aquatic products, a year-on-year increase of 4.63 percent.