Dongping Lake Silver Carp

Dongping Lake Silver Carp

　　Silver carp, commonly known as "bai tiao" or simply "silver carp," belong to the genus Hemiculter in the subfamily Cultrinae of the family Cyprinidae, order Cypriniformes. They are a common fish species in Dongping Lake, most abundant before the 1970s, often forming large seasonal schools. According to fishermen from Laohu Village in Laohu Town, in October 1961, during overcast and rainy weather, large numbers of silver carp appeared across the lake. Two boats using a large seine net measuring 30 meters in length and 20 meters in width pulled it back and forth, catching over 5,000 kilograms of fish in a single day. Some boats even caught up to tens of thousands of kilograms, the majority of which were silver carp. After the 1980s, due to destructive illegal fishing practices such as blast fishing and electrofishing in the lake, the population of silver carp has significantly declined. Nowadays, the daily catch per boat rarely exceeds 5 kilograms. The total annual yield of the entire lake is about 200 tons.

　　Silver carp have an elongated, flat body with a ventral keel extending from the base of the pectoral fin. They have 15–18 gill rakers, and their lateral line sharply curves downward above the pectoral fin. The lateral line scales number between 48–57, and the dorsal fin features smooth, hard spines.

　　Silver carp are fast swimmers and often form schools in the shallow upper layers of Dongping Lake. They are omnivorous, primarily feeding on invertebrates. In Dongping Lake, they spawn annually between May and June, exhibiting a behavior of leaping upstream over shallows during spawning. Spawning occurs in batches, with eggs attaching to aquatic plants or gravel. Silver carp are a small-sized fish species, typically measuring 100–140 millimeters in length, with the largest reaching up to 240 millimeters.

　　As a purely natural and green aquatic product, Dongping Lake silver carp is highly favored by many. "Pancake Wrapped Silver Carp," a traditional Dongping delicacy, has become an essential dish when hosting guests. Both domestic and international tourists visiting Dongping Lake enjoy tasting this distinctive flavor.