White Dragon Lake Silverfish

White Dragon Lake Silverfish

White Dragon Lake silverfish are a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　White Dragon Lake silverfish are snow-white, scaleless, and translucent, with a silvery sheen, tender flesh, and delicious taste. Rich in nutrients, they have long enjoyed an outstanding reputation both in China and abroad. White Dragon Lake silverfish have been awarded the status of a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　White Dragon Lake silverfish are a specialty of the Bai Long Lake reservoir area in Qingchuan County, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. Bai Long Lake is situated in the low mountain valley area where the Longmen Mountain and Motianling Mountain ranges meet. It belongs to the upper reaches of the Bailong River, a tributary of the Jialing River system, with the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area located upstream. Known as the “Number One Lake in Southwest China,” it is also one of China’s four major silverfish-producing lakes. The Bai Long Lake water area in Qingchuan County covers 68,000 mu. The region has a subtropical humid monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 13.7°C and an average water temperature of 15.2°C. The watershed is free from urban pollution, with a high annual water exchange coefficient of 3.71, abundant dissolved oxygen, rich organic bait, and water quality that consistently meets China’s Class II standards. These natural conditions are highly suitable for silverfish growth.

　　Thanks to the excellent water quality of Bai Long Lake, its silverfish are snow-white, scaleless, and translucent, with a silvery sheen, tender flesh, and delicious taste, enjoying a longstanding reputation both in China and abroad. Fresh Bai Long Lake silverfish are rich in essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine. With a protein content of 17.2g/100g and fat content of 2.5g/100g, they also contain 35mg/100g of calcium, making them an exceptionally calcium-rich fish.

　　Since 1997, shortnose silverfish fry have been released into Bai Long Lake for breeding. In 2000, 70 million silverfish eggs were artificially propagated. Starting in 1999, Bai Long Lake silverfish began to be exported to markets in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe & America. By 2010, over 400 tons of silverfish were sold annually from the reservoir area, generating more than 24 million yuan in output value.

　　When autumn skies are clear and silverfish are harvested. Every September and October, visitors to the national AAAA-level scenic spot — Bai Long Lake — will find Bai Long Lake silverfish as an essential delicacy on their dining tables. Whether pan-fried, stir-fried, deep-fried, steamed, boiled, or braised, silverfish dishes are a fine delicacy on any menu: pleasing to the eye, mouthwatering to the nose, and leaving a lingering fragrance on the palate.

　　 Exceptional geographical and ecological environment — “Bai Long Lake Silverfish” creates prosperity for the region

　　 Bai Long Lake silverfish is one of China’s premium aquatic products. This fish is snow-white, scaleless, and translucent, with a silvery sheen, tender flesh, and delicious taste, enjoying a longstanding reputation both in China and abroad. The widespread fame of Bai Long Lake silverfish is naturally inseparable from the unique geographical and ecological environment of the Bai Long Lake reservoir area. Located in the low mountain valley region where the Longmen Mountain and Motianling Mountain ranges meet, Bai Long Lake belongs to the upper reaches of the Bailong River, a tributary of the Jialing River system, with the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area located upstream. Known as the “Number One Lake in Southwest China,” it is also one of China’s four major silverfish-producing lakes. The Bai Long Lake water area in Qingchuan County covers 68,000 mu. The region has a subtropical humid monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 13.7°C and an average water temperature of 15.2°C. The watershed is free from urban pollution, with a high annual water exchange coefficient of 3.71, abundant dissolved oxygen, rich organic bait, and water quality that consistently meets China’s Class II standards. These natural conditions are highly suitable for silverfish growth.

　　 In the 1990s, the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Jiusan Society chose Qingchuan as an assistance target and began developing and propagating silverfish in the Bai Long Lake reservoir area. Today, the Bai Long Lake silverfish base in Qingchuan County has expanded to cover five townships, 20 villages, and 1,500 farming households, with an annual output of over 500 tons and an annual output value exceeding 20 million yuan. This has generated over 1.4 million yuan in new national tax revenue and increased fishermen’s average income by 350 yuan. In addition to domestic sales, Bai Long Lake silverfish have been exported to Japan, South Korea, and EU countries since 1999, earning the nickname “fish ginseng” among foreign friends. Annual exports reach over 100 tons, with export earnings exceeding 5 million yuan.

　　 Exceptionally Nutritious — Ranked Among the Finest Fish, “Bai Long Lake Silverfish” Highly Favored

　　 Test results show that fresh Bai Long Lake silverfish are rich in essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine, isoleucine, valine, and threonine. With a protein content of 17.2g/100g and fat content of 2.5g/100g, they also contain 35mg/100g of calcium, making them an extremely calcium-rich fish. Dried silverfish even surpass other fish in calcium content. According to modern nutritional analysis, silverfish are a “whole food” — consumed with fins and bones intact — offering complete nutrition, high protein, and low fat, which helps boost immunity and longevity. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that silverfish are sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, nourishing deficiency, strengthening the stomach, benefiting the lungs, and promoting diuresis. They can help treat conditions such as weak spleen and stomach, as well as lung deficiency cough.