Wudalianchi Carp

Wudalianchi Carp

Wudalianchi Carp is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The carp produced in Wudalianchi grows in mineral water rich in various trace elements, giving it high levels of protein, fat, vitamins, and more. With its tender meat, rich nutrition, excellent taste, and health benefits, it is highly favored by consumers, leading to a supply that cannot meet the demand. With the development of Wudalianchi’s mineral water products, fishery has been listed as a key focus of mineral water product development, and the product has been registered under the “Mineral Spring” brand trademark.

　　Characteristics of Wudalianchi Carp:

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Wudalianchi carp has a slender body shape, a yellowish back, and full scales covering its body. It offers an excellent taste, with a mild fishy flavor and a strong umami taste. The meat is tender, nutritious, and averages over one kilogram per fish.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: Grown in mineral water rich in various trace elements, Wudalianchi carp is particularly high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Each kilogram contains 108.3 mg of calcium, 290.5 mg of magnesium, 29.3 mg of iron, and 25.2 mg of zinc. It also has 18.46% crude protein, 3.30% crude fat, and a high content of unsaturated fatty acids at 45.5%, which are very beneficial to human health.

　　(3) Safety Requirements: Wudalianchi carp adheres to the GB/T18407.4-2001 standards for the environmental requirements of pollution-free aquatic product production areas in terms of agricultural product safety quality. The production environment follows NY5051-2001 standards for water quality in pollution-free freshwater aquaculture. The product complies with NY5053-2005 standards for pollution-free ordinary freshwater fish.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The Wudalianchi Nature Reserve is located in Heilongjiang Province, on the western side of the Lesser Khingan Mountains. Wudalianchi is a “Global Geopark,” a national key “Scenic Area and Nature Reserve.” Its mineral water is one of the world’s three major cold mineral springs and China’s only cold mineral spring health resort. The protected area for Wudalianchi carp spans 2,200 hectares, including eight naturally formed pools: Pool 1, Pool 2, Pool 3, Pool 4, Pool 5, South Crescent Pool, North Crescent Pool, and Yaoquan Lake. The annual production of mineral spring carp is 400 tons. The geographical coordinates are longitude 126°00′–126°26′ and latitude 48°34′–48°48′.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Human Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: The reserve preserves complete lava plateaus and volcanic landforms, making it the most concentrated volcanic area in China. The soil is formed from the weathering of lava surfaces and retains characteristics of the parent rock, basalt. Over long-term soil processes, black-soil-type volcanic soil has transformed into black soil, while brown-soil-type volcanic soil has turned into dark brown soil through dark brown soil formation. The soil pH typically ranges between 7.0–7.5, indicating excellent fertility.

　　(2) Hydrological Conditions: The area is rich in water resources. The Bai River, a tributary of the Nenjiang River, connects five lakes with a total capacity of 104.39 million cubic meters. In addition, there are numerous mineral springs in the area, including South Spring, North Spring, and Fanhua Spring at the foot of Yaoquan Mountain—extremely valuable mineral water resources in China. Wudalianchi is a eutrophic lake rich in plankton. The largest of these is Pool 3, covering 8.2 square kilometers. The natural bottom mud of the pools used for carp farming lies within normal background elemental values, with no nearby metal or non-metal mines, no residual agricultural pollution, and water sourced from a series of volcanic springs upstream of Wudalianchi—clean and unpolluted.

　　(3) Climate Conditions: Winters are long, harsh, and snowy, while summers are short, hot, and low in rainfall. Springs are windy and dry, and autumns are cool with early frost. Summer temperatures can reach up to 37.6°C, while winter lows can drop to –44.2°C. The annual effective accumulated temperature is 2,200°C, with average annual sunlight of 2,624 hours. Average annual wind speed is 3.4–4.2 m/s, with prevailing northwest winds year-round. There are no large factories in the area, and vehicle traffic is light, resulting in no air pollution. The region consists of 14 volcanoes and 5 barrier lakes. The average annual temperature is –0.5°C, with a frost-free period of 119 days and maximum freezing depth of 2.47 meters. Annual precipitation is 476.3 mm. Soybean yields are high. The 14 volcanoes rise from the expansive lava plateau. The volcanic group includes 12 middle-to-late stage erupted volcanoes and two newly erupted ones—Laoheishan and Huoshao Shan. It was the eruption of these new-stage volcanoes that caused magma to overflow and block the Bai Long River valley of the time, forming five interconnected barrier lakes, known as Wudalianchi. The dominant wind direction in the area is southwest, with an average annual wind force of 2–3. However, winds are stronger in spring and autumn, averaging 3–4, with gusts reaching 4–5 and sometimes up to 6–7. In recent years, the average annual temperature has been –2.2°C, 0.6°C higher than historical averages, though in 2002 it was –1.5°C, 1.3°C higher. The average frost-free period is 89 days, close to the norm, but reached 103 days in 2005. Generally, the last frost occurs in early June, and the first frost falls in late September. Annual precipitation is 505.6 mm, about 25 mm less than historical averages, but distribution is uneven. For example, in 2005, it was only 341.6 mm, 188.4 mm less than usual. Actual annual sunlight is 2,466.6 hours, generally sufficient for crop growth.

　　(4) Human Historical Factors: Wudalianchi’s volcanoes include early ones from over 600,000 years ago, mid-period ones from around 300,000 years ago, and recent ones that erupted between 1719–1721, just over 280 years ago. The Wudalianchi lakes are China’s second-largest volcanic barrier lakes, primarily fed by underground cold mineral springs. Their excellent water quality, rich in multiple minerals, results in aquatic products often praised by consumers as “mineral spring products.” Since the development of the Wudalianchi Scenic Area in 1984, the fishery has grown significantly over the past decade. Currently, the aquaculture area spans 34,000 mu, with over ten species and an output of 800 tons. The fish produced here grow in mineral-rich waters, offering high protein, fat, vitamins, tender meat, rich nutrition, excellent taste, and health benefits. They are highly popular, and supply cannot keep up with demand. As mineral water products have developed, fishing has become a key focus, and the products are branded under the “Mineral Spring” label.

　　Human civilization in Wudalianchi dates back to the distant Paleolithic Age. The sacred mountains and waters of Wudelin were considered an auspicious place for human reproduction and the birthplace of several northern ethnic minorities’ primitive tribes. The Oroqen lived in the mountains, the Ewenki in the foothills, and the Daur and Manchu near the lakes and rivers. From the Donghu people to the Sushen, from Shang Dynasty legendary literature to the oral traditions of Taoism and Buddhism, the “North Sea Eye” has been a shared symbolic reference. The “Great Sea Eye” of the inland North Sea stretched for hundreds of miles, thundering and nurturing all life, while countless “Small Sea Eyes” bubbled day and night, benefiting and healing the people. People held a mix of fear and reverence for the ancient lake. Though the Great Sea Eye was later filled by new-era volcanic eruptions, the five smaller lakes, along with scattered pools, springs, streams, and innumerable small Sea Eyes like the medicinal springs, continue to flow. Human reverence for them has only grown. Throughout history, as soon as the “Peach Blossom Water” of the North Sea Eye recedes, people gather here for temple fairs. During the Dragon Boat Festival, they celebrate Medicine God Day and the Sacred Water Festival. At these times, mountain temples ring their bells, markets bustle at the base, and ox carts, horse carts, and deer-pulled sleighs fill the streets. People come to pray, bathe in the springs, trade mountain goods, pick herbs, sell medicine, enjoy traditional Bangzi opera and storytelling, visit fortune-tellers, trade livestock, or compete in horse racing, archery, and wrestling. Whether in yurts, simple cabins, conical tents, or mud houses woven with woven grass, whether receiving shamanic healing, participating in “Oboo worship,” “Medicine Spring worship,” or “Sacred Water worship,” whether serving as stationed troops, camel caravans, wandering monks, or common folk—the “Medicine Springs” of the North Sea Eye symbolize prosperity and sanctity. For generations, they have been a mirage-like wonder in the hearts of northern peoples. One might not know the government offices, but everyone knows the Medicine Springs are at the North Sea Eye, in Wudelin, in “Wuyun HE Er Dong Ji.”