Freshwater clams from Hongze Lake

Freshwater clams from Hongze Lake

Freshwater clams from Hongze Lake are a geographical indication certification trademark.

Freshwater clams from Hongze Lake are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The flesh of freshwater clams is delicious and nutritious. They are not only beloved in China but also widely enjoyed in Japan, South Korea, and several Southeast Asian countries.

　　Freshwater clams inhabit freshwater lakes, ditches, ponds, and brackish rivers, and are widely distributed across inland water bodies in China. They can also be used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, offering benefits such as stimulating appetite, promoting lactation, improving vision, increasing urination, removing damp toxins, treating liver diseases, reducing fever from measles, relieving cough and phlegm, and alleviating hangovers.

　　The vast waters of Hongze Lake, with their suitable depth, excellent water quality, ideal sediment, and abundant natural food resources, provide unique natural conditions for freshwater clam resources, making it a huge treasure trove of freshwater shellfish in China.

　　In recent years, the total volume of freshwater clam resources in Hongze Lake has exceeded 100,000 tons. Since 1994, freshwater clams have been exported to Japan and South Korea. By 2012, the annual export volume of live freshwater clams had reached 5,000 tons, with over 3,000 tons of processed clam products exported, generating nearly 10 million USD in annual export revenue. With their superior quality and delicious taste, freshwater clams from Hongze Lake have become a mainstay in the South Korean and Japanese markets and serve as a benchmark for the international freshwater clam market.

　　Hongze Lake emphasizes resource protection and adheres to specialized monitoring of freshwater clam resources before and after fishing bans. It comprehensively tracks resource distribution, strengthens resource surveys and monitoring, scientifically sets fishing moratorium periods, carefully conserves clam resources, and has established a freshwater clam aquatic germplasm resource reserve. A 20,000-mu protected area for freshwater clam germplasm resources in Hongze Lake has been set up with fully enclosed management to effectively protect the germplasm resources of Hongze Lake freshwater clams.

　　Hongze freshwater clams

　　Hongze Lake Agricultural Products Association of Hongze County

　　Geographic scope

　　The protected geographic area for freshwater clams from Hongze Lake includes waters extending from nine townships—Sanhe Town, Laozishan Town, Gaoliangjian Town in Hongze County, Huai'an City; Hanqiao Township in Huaiyin District; Longji Town, Ban Cheng Town, Linhuai Town in Sihong County, Suqian City; and Gaodu Town, Peiwei Town in Siyang County—toward the center of Hongze Lake, covering an area of 49,000 hectares. The turning point geographic coordinates are as follows: (118°31′40″E, 33°25′49″N), (118°48′17″E, 33°25′49″N), (118°48′17″E, 33°14′44″N), (118°31′40″E, 33°14′44″N).