Shijiang Shad

Shijiang Shad

　　Shad belongs to the herring family. It has a flat, elongated body with thin, knife-like fins, snow-white skin shimmering with silver light, and a beautiful form. Ancient people also called it the "silver-light fish." It is an extremely precious fish species in China. Its flesh is tender, and its fat content is several times higher than that of common fish—ranging from 18% to 27.7%—making it a renowned delicacy throughout history.

　　Shad is widely found along the eastern and southern coasts of China. It lives in the sea for three to four years until its gonads mature. Every spring, around April and May, it migrates from the ocean upstream to the Yangtze River, Poyang Lake, and then into the Gan River, where it spawns in the middle reaches around Xingan, Shijiang, and Jishui. This river section, with its crisscrossing tributaries and unique hydrological and riverbed sediment conditions, serves as the largest natural spawning ground for shad in the Yangtze River system. After hatching, the fry drift downstream, with most juvenile shad inhabiting Poyang Lake. In late autumn and early winter, they then move from Poyang Lake through the Yangtze River into the East China Sea to grow. To protect shad resources and develop shad production, counties in this region such as Shijiang have established research and collaborative organizations for shad studies. In 1982, they successfully overcame challenges in artificial breeding and fry cultivation, leading to a significant increase in annual shad production.