Fuyuan Sturgeon

Fuyuan Sturgeon

Fuyuan Sturgeon is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Fuyuan County is situated at the convergence of the Heilongjiang and Ussuri rivers in a triangular area where the sun rises earliest in China. Just across the river from Khabarovsk, the largest city in Russia’s Far East, it is an ideal location for developing premium and specialty fish species. As the main producing area of the famous “living fossil” sturgeon and kaluga, it has been honored by the state with the title “Hometown of Chinese Sturgeon and Kaluga in Fuyuan.”

　　Sturgeon and kaluga are often referred to as living fossils of the water. The Dajiali Lake, where these fish are bred, is located on a tributary of the Heilongjiang River. Covering an area of 30,000 mu with an average depth of 4 meters, it is mainly formed by the convergence of waters from the Yalu River, Nongjiang River, and others. The lake area boasts abundant aquatic life and plants, making it an excellent site for aquaculture development. The aquaculture base was established with 3.6 million yuan raised by the Fuyuan County Aquatic Bureau. It now includes a 1,200-square-meter fry hatching greenhouse and five net cage farming areas. These net cage zones house 20,000 three-year-old sturgeon and kaluga weighing 6 kg each, 200,000 two-year-old fry, and 150,000 one-year-old fry weighing 0.2 kg each. Additionally, 110,000 sturgeon and kaluga fry and 30,000 premium fish fry have been released into the lake, all of which are growing well. The base can produce 300,000 15-cm sturgeon and kaluga fingerlings and 200,000 30-cm hybrid sturgeon and kaluga fry annually, along with over 200,000 commercial fish per year. It is expected to achieve an annual output value of 200 million yuan within five years. The development of specialty fish farming in Fuyuan not only enriches local residents but also promotes the standardization and scaling of the region’s unique industry.

　　The Heilongjiang and Ussuri rivers are not only boundary rivers between China and Russia but also vital waters for natural fisheries in northern China. The rare fish species native to this area, such as kaluga and sturgeon, are among the ancient organisms preserved since the Cretaceous period. They once coexisted with dinosaurs on Earth, and their primitive and ancient forms have remained almost unchanged for over 100 million years, holding significant scientific research value.

　　In recent years, to protect its rich fishery resources and ensure the development, utilization, and effective conservation of unique species like sturgeon and kaluga, Jiamusi City has invested in building the country’s largest sturgeon and kaluga breeding and farming base in Fuyuan County. Comprehensive artificial breeding techniques have been successfully implemented, yielding remarkable results. Large-scale artificial stocking is carried out annually, with over one million fry released each year. Successful net cage breeding and farming trials have also been conducted in Dajiali Lake, enabling these rare species to be both effectively protected and economically utilized. Currently, sturgeon and kaluga eggs hatched here are exported to provinces and cities including Beijing, Guangdong, Fujian, Hubei, and Jiangsu. Fuyuan County has become the Hometown of Chinese Sturgeon and Kaluga in China and is globally recognized as the renowned “Home of Chinese Sturgeon and Kaluga.”

　　Among them, only the Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) and the Kaluga sturgeon (Huso dauricus) found in the Heilongjiang River hold significant economic value and are actively fished. Both the Amur sturgeon and kaluga are premium economic fish species in the Heilongjiang water system. Kaluga meat is delicious and considered highly valuable. Both sturgeon and kaluga roe are used to produce caviar, which is rich in nutrition and expensive, internationally known as the “black soft gold.” Sturgeon and kaluga are renowned products of the Heilongjiang region, with some individuals weighing hundreds to even thousands of pounds, earning the title “King of Freshwater Fish.” In the past, they were tribute offerings to emperors. Their meat is tender and flavorful, the bones are crispy and aromatic, and almost no part of the fish goes to waste—the stomach, lips, bones, swim bladder, and roe are all premium ingredients for preparing gourmet dishes.

　　Fuyuan Sturgeon is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Fuyuan Sturgeon

　　Geographic Scope

　　Fuyuan County is located in the northeastern border of China, between 133°40′–135°5′20″ east longitude and 47°25′30″–48°27′40″ north latitude, covering a total area of 6,262.48 square kilometers. To the east and north, it borders Russia across the Heilongjiang and Ussuri rivers; to the south lies Raohe County, and to the west is Tongjiang. A total of 268 kilometers of the mainstreams of the Heilongjiang and Ussuri rivers lie within the county, which boasts abundant fishery resources, including 105 fish species from 72 genera and 21 families, among which 59 are economically important species. Fuyuan County includes four towns directly under its administration—Haiqing Township, Zhuaji Town, Tongjiang Township, and Fuyuan Town—with a combined water area of 26,753 hectares. This area serves as a crucial breeding and growth site for sturgeon, producing around 15 tons of sturgeon annually.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Fuyuan sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) is scaleless, elongated, with a pear-shaped head, a spear-like snout, a whip-like tail, and five rows of bony plates along its body. Its coloration is grayish-brown or brown on the back and silver-white on the belly. It inhabits river channels, swimming near the bottom and feeding on aquatic insect larvae, benthic organisms, and small fish. Sturgeon are rare and precious large fish with bright reddish color, tender and delicious flesh that is soft and free of fine bones, making it highly palatable. Its eggs are especially valuable, extremely nutritious, and together with kaluga roe are known as “black caviar,” widely regarded as one of the world’s three great delicacies. Sturgeon caviar is known as the “black gold” or “black pearl.” 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Sturgeon holds great significance in the study of fish evolution and also possesses high economic value. Its meat is delicious, bone-free, and classified as a high-protein food, with crude protein content ≥21%, crude fat content ≥0.7%. It contains eight essential amino acids and twelve vitamins required by the human body, as well as minerals such as calcium ≥80 mg/kg, zinc ≥2.0 mg/kg, magnesium ≥230 mg/kg, and phosphorus ≥1500 mg/kg. Unsaturated fatty acids account for over 70% of the total fatty acids. 3. Safety Requirements: Sturgeon complies with GB/T18407.4-2001, the national standard for pollution-free aquatic product origin environmental requirements; the production environment adheres to NY5051-2001, the standard for water quality in pollution-free freshwater aquaculture; and the final product meets NY5053-2005, the standard for pollution-free common freshwater fish.