Wenyu

Wenyu

Wenyu is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Wenyu is a premium local export product from Dinghu District. Unlike common carp, its most distinctive features are: at first glance, it has a round head and plump body; upon closer inspection, it has a tucked-in head, hunched shoulders, a small mouth, a rotund body, and three golden lines running from the gills to the tail. Wenyu has small internal organs, high oil content, and tender, rich meat—making it especially suitable for steaming, and rarely cooked by other methods. When steaming, avoid adding ginger or scallions, and do not use oil; just add a little cooked salt and shredded dried tangerine peel. Steamed Wenyu offers a dining experience where the bones are crisp and fragrant, the scales soft, and the flesh feels tender, sweet, savory, and smooth. Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, Wenyu benefits blood circulation and is an excellent food for cardiovascular patients. It also contains abundant selenium, which helps combat aging and maintain skin health when consumed regularly. Additionally, it has certain preventive and therapeutic effects against tumors. For those who are physically weak or have poor appetites, Wenyu is tender yet not greasy, stimulating appetite and providing nourishment.

　　Market Development:

　　Wenyu is produced in Diansanwen, Shipu Town, covering an area of over 500 acres. Its breeding has always maintained a unique and favorable ecological environment. In recent years, to enhance the quality of Wenyu and strengthen its brand, Dinghu District has carried out technical research on its farming, inviting experts such as those from the Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute as technical advisors. This ensures proper selection, breeding, and reproduction of Wenyu, along with unified technical measures and large-scale farming. Additionally, aquatic plants such as water chestnut sprouts and wild arrowhead are artificially introduced to maintain the unique ecological environment essential for Wenyu’s growth. Currently, about 250 tons are available for market annually, with exports reaching Hong Kong, Macau, and the Pearl River Delta region.

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Wenyu

　　I. Source of Breed

　　Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus).

　　II. Growing Environment

　　Water quality meets relevant national fishery standards, and the growing environment complies with national pollution-free aquatic product production area requirements. Water depth ranges from 1.6m to 2.0m, transparency ≥10cm, pH value 7.0 to 8.5, dissolved oxygen ≥6.0mg/L. Aquatic plant coverage ≥70%.

　　III. Farming Management

　　1. Fish Seed Source: Selected from grass carp hatcheries within the production area that hold seed production licenses, with traceable procurement to ensure the authenticity of the fry lineage.

　　2. Farming Method: Polyculture in ponds within the production area.

　　3. Fish Stocking:

　　(1) Grass carp: From early to late May each year, stock fish with individual weight of 1800g to 2000g. Stocking density is 10 to 15 fish per 667㎡ (mu).

　　(2) Others: From early to late May each year, stock bighead carp with individual weight of 800g to 1000g, at a density of 10 to 15 fish per 667㎡ (mu); also stock common carp with individual weight of 250g to 500g, at a density of 30 to 40 fish per 667㎡ (mu).

　　4. Feeding:

　　(1) Feed on natural pond food such as rice flowers, water chestnut sprouts, arrowhead, and gorgon fruit.

　　(2) Supplementary feeding with freshly harvested rice.

　　5. Environmental and Safety Requirements: Feed, farming environment, and the prevention and control of diseases must comply with national regulations, with no environmental pollution allowed.

　　IV. Harvesting

　　Harvest from late September to late January of the following year, with individual fish weighing 3000g to 5000g.

　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics: Well-proportioned and slender body, flat belly, tea-yellow color with gloss, dark green back, gray-white belly, grayish-yellow pectoral and caudal fins. The meat is tender, elastic, fragrant, sweet, and delicious.

　　2. Physicochemical Indicators: Muscle contains ≥17.5% crude protein and ≤4.0% crude fat.

　　3. Safety and Other Quality Technical Requirements: Product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with national regulations.

　　Wenyu

　　 Administrative region currently under the jurisdiction of Shipu Town, Dinghu District, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province

　　 Request from the People's Government of Dinghu District, Zhaoqing City for the Delimitation of the Production Area of Wenli and Wenhuan, Zhao Ding Fu Bao [2013] No. 6

　　 Guangdong Provincial Local Standard: "Wenhuan" (Draft)