Dayang Port

　　Lusi Town is a true port town bordering the South Yellow Sea, with the Lusi Fishing Port now integrated into the town itself. Just a few minutes’ drive from the town center takes you to the fishing harbor area at Dayang Port on the coast. If you consider the seafood wholesale market along the fishing harbor channel as the port’s storage and commercial district, then Lusi Town itself is a major component of the fishing harbor.

　　However, to truly see the sea and the fishing harbor, you’ll need to drive one or two kilometers from town out to the seawall beyond the Dayang Port sluice gate. As you travel along the smooth asphalt road toward the shore, you’ll pass boat locks and harbor basins filled with various fishing boats and transport vessels. When the colorful and uniquely shaped flags on the masts grow denser, and the sea breeze carries an increasingly strong briny scent through the car window, these distinctive sights and smells signal that the Lusi Fishing Port is just ahead.

　　The waters before us are part of the world-renowned Lusi Fishing Grounds, which stretch from the Yangtze River estuary in the south to Haizhou Bay in the north, covering a total area of over 30,000 square kilometers. The area boasts extremely rich fishery resources and a vibrant maritime culture, earning it the title “Capital of Fish.” There's even an old saying that “it yields the equivalent of a golden ox per day.” The Lusi Fishing Grounds are abundant in high-quality economic fish species such as large yellow croaker, small yellow croaker, pomfret, hairtail, barracuda, and mullet. In particular, the small yellow croaker resources are incredibly plentiful, with annual production once accounting for half of the national total. At the same time, the mighty Yangtze River, carrying vast amounts of silt, flows eastward into the sea. Under the push of tidal forces, this sediment gradually deposits near the South Yellow Sea estuary, forming extensive sandbars and mudflats. Today, stretching from Hai’an Laobagang in the north to Qidong Yinyang Yuantuo Cape in the east, Nantong’s coastline features over 200 kilometers of winding tidal flats, covering nearly two million mu (approximately 133,000 hectares) in total. This section of the South Yellow Sea tidal flats is known as the “finest in the East,” as no other region in Asia boasts such continuously expanding coastal flats. These tidal flats are a unique landform found in sandy coastal regions, representing a precious geological resource where water transitions into land. Vast, seemingly endless stretches of sandbars—misty and boundless at high tide, or expansive fertile plains at low tide—are prime wetlands where rare delicacies like snails, clams, shrimp, and crabs thrive. They also provide ideal spots for fishermen to cast their nets. In recent years, they have also emerged as emerging bases for nori cultivation and aquaculture, as well as attractive destinations for tourism. The intertidal zones around Dayang Port and the nearby coastal mudflats are rich in shellfish, shrimp, and crab resources, producing prized seafood such as blood clams, razor clams, clams, mud clams, sea anemones, mud snails, as well as prawns and swimming crabs. The thriving fishing industry has made this area one of the country’s most renowned seafood production bases.

　　Standing atop the towering seawall, or ascending to the observation deck of the Wanghai Pavilion nearby, you can gaze eastward and behold the vast ocean stretching before you. On clear days, when you look into the distance, the sea and sky merge into one under the blue sky and white clouds, creating an endlessly expansive view. Amidst the azure expanse, fishing boats dot the horizon, bustling with activity. Closer to shore, during high tide, the area becomes a surging yellow field, with red-flagged fleets sailing along nearby channels out to the open sea, while seagulls swoop and circle above, keeping company with fishing boats and skiffs at work. When the tide recedes, the scene gradually reveals an expansive, glistening golden beach. Here, blue-green fishing nets are spread out in neat rows, resembling sails billowing in the wind, extending far into the distance. Groups of fishermen, carrying baskets and sacks, hurry down to the shallows to catch fish and shrimp on the tidal flats.