Wuxi Yang Fish

Wuxi Yang Fish

Wuxi Yang Fish is a product certified with geographical indication status for agricultural goods.

　　“Wuxi Yang Fish,” also known as schizothoracin, has been registered under the national Ministry of Agriculture’s geographical indication protection program. Currently, the county’s schizothoracin breeding ponds have expanded to over 140,000 square meters, with more than 130,000 fish being cultivated. A distinctive tripartite population structure has been formed, represented by “Wuxi Yang Fish” as the indigenous fish species, the giant salamander as the rare fish species, and rainbow trout as the premium fish species.

　　Wuxi Yang Fish

　　Geographical Scope

　　Wuxi County is located on the southern foothills of the eastern section of the Daba Mountains. It borders Zhushan and Zhuxi counties and Shennongjia in Hubei Province to the east, Zhenping County in Shaanxi Province to the north, faces the Yangtze River to the south, and connects to Chongqing Municipality to the west. The county spans between 108°44′ and 109°58′ east longitude and 31°14′ and 31°44′ north latitude, covering an area of 4,030 square kilometers. There are 15 major rivers in the county, including the Daning River, Dongxi River, Baiyang River, and Wantan River, with nearly 100,000 mu of natural water bodies. The geographical indication registration and protection area of Wuxi Yang Fish extends from Lan Ying Township in the east to Tianba Town in the west, reaching Pulian Township in the south and Wulong Township in the north. It encompasses the natural rivers and aquaculture farms within 30 townships across the county—namely Chengxiang Town, Fenghuang Town, Lingjiao Township, Shengli Township, Ningchang Town, Dahe Township, Tianxing Township, Changgui Township, Shanggu Town, Gulu Town, Fengling Town, Pulian Township, Wenfeng Town, Tangfang Town, Chaoyang Town, Xujia Town, Bailu Town, Yulin Township, Wulong Township, Jianshan Town, Tianba Town, Zhonggang Township, Tongcheng Town, Shuangyang Township, Lan Ying Township, Huatai Township, Xiabao Town, Zhongliang Township, Tianyuan Township, and Tucheng Township—covering a total of 7,000 hectares of natural rivers and aquaculture areas, with an annual output of 300,000 tons. Both wild and farmed Wuxi Yang Fish within this region are protected under the geographical indication area.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. Unique Sensory Features: Wuxi Yang Fish has an elongated body with fine scales. Its predorsal bone is sword-shaped, and the overall body color leans toward yellow, with the area below the lateral line scales appearing grayish-white. The upper and lower edges of the caudal fin and the rear edge of the anal fin are light red, while the edges of the pectoral and ventral fins are golden yellow. The fish meat is tender, dense, and smooth in texture, with a deliciously fragrant broth, making it a premium-quality product. 2. Intrinsic Quality: Water content 75.0–80.0%; ash 0.8–1.3%; fat 0.6–1.0%; crude protein 17.0–20.0%; free amino acids 1.8–2.5%. 3. Safety Requirements: The origin, production process, and safety requirements strictly comply with the standards set by the People’s Republic of China for pollution-free agricultural products: NY5051-2001 Pollution-Free Food – Quality of Freshwater Aquaculture Water, NY5071-2002 Pollution-Free Food – Guidelines for the Use of Veterinary Drugs in Aquaculture, NY5070-2002 Pollution-Free Food – Limits of Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Aquatic Products, NY5072-2002 Pollution-Free Food – Safety Limits for Compound Feeds for Aquaculture.