Shayang Changhu River Crab

Shayang Changhu River Crab

Shayang Changhu River Crab is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Shayang Changhu River Crab is a specialty of Changhu Lake in Shayang County, Jingmen City, Hubei Province. Located at the junction of Jingzhou, Jingmen, and Qianjiang cities, Changhu is the third largest lake in Hubei Province. The lake area boasts a sound ecological environment, rich in aquatic products such as fish, shrimp, water chestnuts, and lotus roots, and serves as a natural habitat for various waterfowl. Shayang Changhu River Crab has obtained national geographical indication certification for agricultural products.

　　Recently, Announcement No. 1699 from the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China announced that Shayang Changhu River Crab and Shayang Changhu Bighead Carp have received national geographical indication certification for agricultural products. This marks the first breakthrough in the protection of geographical indications for aquatic products in Jingmen City.

　　Shayang Changhu River Crab

　　Geographical Scope

　　Shayang Changhu is located within Shayang County, Jingmen City, Hubei Province, covering a total area of 7,800 hectares. Its boundaries are defined by longitude 112°19′ to 112°31′ and latitude 30°25′ to 30°31′ (with the Changhu embankment as the boundary: to the east it connects to Hudie Village in Mao Li Town, to the south it reaches the boundary between Shayang and Jingzhou, to the west it borders Jingzhou City, and to the north it adjoins Hougang Town). It includes 25 villages across Mao Li and Hougang towns, among which Mao Li Town encompasses 12 villages (Hudie Village, Yaochang Village, Yingxiong Village, Gaoyan Village, Yewan Village, Changhu Village, Lichang Village, Zhongqiao Village, Zhongxin Village, Mao Li Village, Fengling Village, and Ludian Village), and Hougang Town comprises 13 villages (Gangkou Village, Tiebian Village, Qinglong Village, Zhangchang Village, Damiao Village, Tuzui Village, Donghu Village, Fengjing Village, Zaohu Village, Huangxie Village, Liuwang Village, Jingnan Village, and Xiaochang Village). The total farming area for Shayang Changhu River Crab is 6,000 hectares, with an annual output of 1,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. Quality Features of Changhu River Crab: The crabs have a shiny, dark bluish-green shell, free of disease spots or damage, with plump bodies typically weighing between 300–400 grams. Their legs are sturdy, and they have thick, rich crab roe and meat that is tender, fragrant, and pleasantly sweet in taste.  2. Quality and Safety Regulations:   ① Production Environment: Water quality indicators must comply with the industry standard NY5051-2001 "Water Quality Criteria for Aquaculture in Non-polluted Freshwater" issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. The farming bases must be free from pollution sources such as industrial "three wastes," agricultural waste, medical sewage and waste, urban garbage, and domestic sewage.   ② Mandatory Technical Specifications:    a. Seedling Management: Seedlings must be purchased centrally, undergo strict quarantine by inspection stations, and their origin must be investigated to ensure traceability and quality. Before stocking, net enclosures must be thoroughly inspected for integrity before any crab seedlings are released.    b. Size Consistency: Seedlings should be uniform in size (100–150 crabs per kg), healthy, fully limbed, with no joint damage, no parasites, and early-maturing varieties are strictly prohibited. A one-time full stocking approach is adopted.    c. Farming Process Management:     - A leadership and technical team for Shayang Changhu River Crab geographical indication products is established to guide, monitor, and address technical issues in production, develop technical protocols, and clarify responsibilities.     - A training system is in place: The Shayang County Aquatic Technology Extension Station and Inspection Station organize four training sessions annually, combining lectures with on-site guidance during key growth stages of the crabs. Experts from provincial and municipal levels are invited to provide non-polluting aquaculture training and on-site advice.     - In collaboration with crab farming cooperatives, production operation procedures and quality supervision agreements are developed to implement standardized management, assign responsibilities, and sign non-polluting farming contracts with farmers.     - Services to fishermen include follow-up support, on-site guidance, and demonstration, supplemented by random inspections and regular or irregular monitoring of lake-based farms.     - A strict management system is enforced, including designated personnel, regular lake patrols, immediate issue resolution to prevent crab escape, ensuring constant human presence near the lake, strict shift handover protocols, and detailed production records.     - The "Five Haves" (professional technical guidance, professional management systems, professional cooperative organizations, standardized farming procedures, and sales service networks) and "Five Unifications" (unified farming models, seedling procurement, stocking specifications, production management, and information & sales services) are implemented to ensure product safety.    d. Environmental and management standards: Strict adherence to GB11067 (Fishery Water Quality Standards), NY5051-2001 (Non-polluted Freshwater Aquaculture Water Quality), GB/T18407.4-2001 (Environmental Requirements for Non-polluted Aquatic Product Origins), and GB/T19000-2000 (Quality Management Systems). Standards and policies are visibly posted and rigorously enforced.   ③ Product Quality meets Non-polluted Agricultural Product Quality Standards.