Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs

Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs

Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs are a protected geographical indication product.

　　　Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs are a specialty of Mingguang City, Anhui Province. Since ancient times, fishermen and their families have lived on boats year-round on Female Mountain Lake. A local saying goes: “Eat crab meals, live in crab houses, marry a crab wife, and wed a crab groom.” This reflects the long and profound history of crabs in Female Mountain Lake.

　　　　Mingguang City is the hometown of the Ming Emperor, and Female Mountain Lake is the second largest freshwater lake in Anhui Province. It was formed 1.5 million years ago by a volcanic eruption and is one of China’s best-preserved ancient volcanic craters. According to research materials from authoritative agricultural departments, the lake is rich in plankton, has crystal-clear water, and features a unique natural ecological environment created by the volcanic eruption—making it highly suitable for the growth of aquatic life such as crabs, fish, and shrimp. Crab farming in the lake requires no artificial feeding. Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs are delicious and nutritious, containing fats, inorganic salts, sugars, vitamins, and other essential nutrients needed by the human body. Eating them is a truly delightful experience. A local saying goes, “A plate of crabs is worth a whole table of dishes.” If crabs are served first, they will overshadow all other dishes, and even the other foods may seem bland afterward.

　　　　In 1999, “Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs” were officially registered as a trademark with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. Since then, they have been recommended multiple times as premium products by the Ministry of Agriculture, the China International Agricultural Fair, the China Green Food Development Center, and the China River Crab Association: In 2001, the China International Agricultural Fair awarded Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs the title of Famous Brand Product; in 2007, the China Green Food Development Center certified Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs as Grade A Green Food and renewed the certification; in 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture awarded Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs the title of Famous Brand Agricultural Product; in 2008, the Anhui Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce certified Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs as a Famous Trademark of Anhui Province and renewed the certification; in 2008, the project “Research on Key Supporting Technologies for Industrialized Improvement of River Crab Cultivation” by the Anhui Science and Technology Department was recognized as a scientific research achievement; in 2011, Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs were honored as Anhui Famous Brand Products by the Anhui Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision; in 2012, Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs won the Gold Award at the National River Crab Competition “Liaohe Cup.”

　　　　Currently, Mingguang City has earned titles such as “China’s Hometown of River Crabs,” “Top 100 Aquatic Counties in China,” “National Key Commodity Fish Production Base,” and “Pearl on the Water.” The annual production of high-quality aquatic products from Female Mountain Lake exceeds 200,000 tons, with total fisheries output value reaching 1.2 billion yuan. In the past three years alone, the annual sales of Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs have surpassed 500 million yuan each year, with the 2012 total output value exceeding 600 million yuan. The farming area covers 150,000 mu, and nearly 20,000 local fishermen (and farmers) have been engaged in hairy crab farming as a result of demonstration projects. The products are sold across major markets in China including Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, as well as in Southeast Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, and others, making a significant contribution to the local agricultural economy and industrial restructuring.

　　Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs

　　 Located in the waters of Female Mountain Lake, Mingguang City, Anhui Province, between latitudes 32.9°–33°N and longitudes 118°–118.2°E, with a total area of approximately 10,000 hectares

　　 Mingguang Municipal People's Government Document “Regarding the Definition of the Protected Geographic Indication Area for Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs,” Ming Zheng Mi [2013] No. 92

　　 Enterprise Standard of Mingguang Yongyan Aquatic (Group) Co., Ltd.: Q/YYSC001-2013 “Cultivation Technical Specifications for Female Mountain Lake Hairy Crabs”