Whitebait Perch of Tongjiang

Whitebait Perch of Tongjiang

The Tongjiang perch holds a geographical indication certification trademark.

The Tongjiang perch is a product certified with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Perch, also known as flower perch, is ranked among the “Four Famous Fish” along with the Yangtze shad, Yellow River carp, and Taihu silverfish.

　　Perch are mainly produced in coastal regions such as Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Shandong, but those from Tongjiang in Fuding, Fujian, are considered the finest.

　　The Tongjiang perch are cultivated at the meeting point of the Tongjiang River and the East China Sea in Fuding City. At the 6.18 China Strait Project Achievements Trading Fair in 2007, Fujian Minwei Industrial Group collaborated with Academician Lei Jilin from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences to introduce reproductive regulation and indoor artificial breeding technologies for flower perch. This significantly improved the quality of the perch, resulting in particularly delicious and tender meat.

　　Perch have an oblong, laterally compressed body with a thick back, small belly, large mouth, and a lower jaw longer than the upper jaw. The rear edge of the gill cover has fine serrations. Their backs are bluish-gray while their bellies are white, with small black spots on the back and dorsal fins. They have small scales, two slightly separated dorsal fins — the front one consisting of hard spines and the rear one made up of soft rays — and a forked tail fin. The flesh of the perch is firm, flaky like garlic cloves, with few bones and a delicious taste. It is also commonly used in Western cuisine. The swim bladder of the perch can be processed into fish maw.

　　The Fuding Tongjiang perch has an elongated, laterally flattened body with a raised back, making it a popular choice in both Chinese and Western cuisines. It is rich in nutrients, containing protein, vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and other essential elements. It is believed to nourish liver and kidney functions, benefit the spleen and stomach, and help relieve phlegm and cough, making it especially beneficial for those with liver or kidney deficiencies. According to Compendium of Materia Medica, “Perch is sweet and warm in nature, beneficial for tendons and bones, strengthens the gastrointestinal tract, and accelerates wound healing. Its gills are sweet and mild, effective for relieving cough and reducing phlegm.” Perch tastes sweet and is neutral in nature, affecting the liver, spleen, and kidney meridians. It helps accelerate wound healing, invigorate the spleen, replenish qi, nourish kidneys, and calm the fetus. It is suitable for general consumption, especially for those suffering from anemia or dizziness, pregnant women experiencing edema, or those with fetal restlessness. The Tongjiang perch has a long history. During the Ming Dynasty, it was ranked among China’s “Four Famous Fish” alongside the Yellow River carp, Yangtze shad, and Taihu silverfish. The Fuding County Annals state that perch is one of the main fish species in Fuding and a featured aquatic product. The Fuding Scenic Chronicles recount that the establishment of Fuding County is greatly attributed to this fish. Legend has it that in March of the second year of the Qianlong reign (1737), when Emperor Qianlong visited the south of the Yangtze River, he tasted perch soup and was so impressed that he ordered it to be offered as an annual tribute. Local tales in Fuding say that it was precisely because of Emperor Qianlong’s high praise for the Tongjiang Creek perch that he issued an imperial decree upon returning to the capital, leading to the establishment of Fuding County in 1739, carved out from Xiapu County. As a premium aquatic product from Fuding, the beloved “mother river” of the locals — the Tongjiang — the Tongjiang perch is not merely a simple fish resource within Fuding’s long cultural history. It has become a part of the area’s material culture, flowing quietly along the Tongjiang waters and leaving an indispensable mark in the development of Fuding.

　　The Tongjiang perch is primarily distributed across the brackish and freshwater waters of eleven towns (offices, development zones) within the administrative region of Fuding City, Fujian Province. These include: Shanqian, Tongshan, Tongcheng Subdistrict Offices, as well as Guanling Town, Qiánqí Town, Diǎntóu Town, Báilín Town, Jiāyáng Township, Long’an Development Zone, Diànxià Town, and Shāchēn Town. The geographical scope of the Tongjiang perch covers the Tongjiang Creek basin and the brackish and freshwater areas from the creek’s estuary to Shāchēn Port, situated between 27°09′–27°22′ north latitude and 120°11′–120°25′ east longitude. The basin stretches over 50 kilometers in length, covering an area of 1,275 square kilometers. The total production area for perch spans 7,666 hectares, with an annual yield of 6,000 tons.