Linyi Large Whitebait

Linyi Large Whitebait

Linyi Large Whitebait is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Linyi Large Whitebait is a specialty of Linyi City, Shandong Province. In addition to meeting local market demand, Linyi Large Whitebait products are also exported to major cities such as Beijing, Jinan, and Shanghai. The city’s brand as the “Hometown of Large Whitebait” is well-established. Linyi Large Whitebait is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Linyi City is located in a warm temperate zone, with abundant rivers, reservoirs, and ponds, as well as high-quality water, making it suitable for the growth and reproduction of large whitebait. Through research and practice by aquatic technicians and industry practitioners across the city, a complete set of technical standards for the large whitebait industry (including fertilized egg collection, hatching, stocking, aquaculture management, harvesting, and processing) has been developed over twenty years. The city’s large whitebait farming and stocking area exceeds 330,000 mu, with an annual output of 1,500 tons and an output value of 57 million yuan, effectively boosting local economic development and increasing farmers’ incomes. The product quality is safe and reliable, having obtained organic certification, which has enhanced the national reputation of the large whitebait industry and effectively expanded both domestic and international markets. Currently, there are seven certified organic aquatic product production areas in the city, covering 242,000 mu, accounting for 73.3% of the total large whitebait farming and stocking water surface.

　　In terms of germplasm resource protection, a provincial-level large whitebait breeding farm covering 21,400 mu has been established at the Doushan Reservoir in Junan County, and a provincial-level large whitebait germplasm resource reserve spanning 2,000 hectares has been set up at the Andi Reservoir in Mengyin County. At the same time, the city has nurtured and developed nearly 10 large whitebait processing enterprises, with an annual processing capacity of 300 to 400 tons of large whitebait and a fishery output value of nearly 100 million yuan. Among them, the Tianhu Fishery Breeding Professional Cooperative in Junan County, the Wulonghu Fishery Breeding Cooperative in Pingyi County, and the Yunmenghu Fishery Co., Ltd. in Mengyin County are the three largest large whitebait processing enterprises in the city, with an annual processing capacity of 300 tons of frozen large whitebait and 60 tons of dried large whitebait.

　　In terms of origin product certification and branding, the city has certified six organic origins and six organic products for large whitebait; three organic brands—“Yimeng Lake,” “Yimeng Xun,” and “Quanxian”—have been registered, along with the national agricultural geographical indication “Maqishan Silverfish.”

　　In 2014, “Linyi Large Whitebait,” applied for by the Linyi City Fisheries Association, passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and was granted national geographical indication agricultural product registration and protection.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Linyi Large Whitebait is mainly distributed in the Yi River, Shu River, Beng River, and 37 large and medium-sized reservoirs within the administrative region of Linyi City, Shandong Province (reservoir coordinates are provided in the appendix). The city’s total natural distribution area of large whitebait is 330,000 mu, with an annual output of 1,986 tons, producing 2 billion high-quality fertilized eggs and processing over 360 tons of whitebait products annually, generating an annual output value of 150 million yuan. Yi River Coordinates: North at N35°88′23.05″, E118°54′53.92″; South at N34°56′37.04″, E118°13′54.68″. It flows through counties and districts including Yishui, Yinan, Lanshan, Hedong, Luozhuang, and Tancheng, with a total length of 287.5 kilometers within the city and a drainage area of over 10,790 square kilometers. Shu River Coordinates: North at N35°36′18.96″, E118°70′69.06″; South at N34°67′57.20″, E118°47′40.93″. It flows through counties and districts including Yishui, Junan, Hedong, Linshu, and Tancheng, with a total length of 252.6 kilometers within the city and a drainage area of 5,320 square kilometers. Beng River Coordinates: West at N35°29′50.92″, E118°03′24.07″; East at N35°08′12.87″, E118°35′71.59″. It flows through Liangqiu Town, Feicheng Town, Huyang Town, Tan Yi Town, and Xinqiao Town in Feixian County, as well as Yitang Town in Lanshan District, Linyi City, and joins the Yi River north of Linyi City. It has a total length of 27.1 kilometers within the city and a drainage area of 1,524.2 square kilometers.