Mengyin salmon helps fuel eco-driven rural growth

Mengyin county in Linyi is turning the clean waters of Yunmeng Lake into the prime venue for its burgeoning salmon industry, creating a "land-sea relay" model that links ecological protection, aquaculture and rural prosperity.

About 200,000 salmon are currently being bred in the Yunmeng Lake Ecological Zone. They are expected to be relocated to the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea for relay farming by the end of the year.

Li Yan, deputy Party secretary of the zone's management committee, said the project reflects Mengyin's efforts to turn ecological resources into a people-enriching industry.

The project starts with high water quality. Yunmeng Lake has maintained Class II water quality for 25 years, with clear water, stable dissolved oxygen and suitable pH levels.

Cao Rongtao, general manager of the salmon breeding farm, said salmon have strict requirements in terms of water temperature, oxygen level, water cleanliness and pH level, making the lake a rare inland site for cold-water aquaculture.

To protect the area as a safe source of drinking water, the farm was built below the lake dam and uses a closed-loop recirculating system. Aquaculture water is treated, purified and reused, with no wastewater discharged into the basin.

After about 16 months of growth, the fish enter a sea-adaptation stage before being transferred to intelligent offshore cages. This model gives the salmon a firm texture and fresher flavor, drawing interest from aquaculture companies in Qingdao and Yantai.

The project has created more than 30 local jobs and brought stable income to nearby villages.

An aerial view of the salmon breeding farm based in Mengyin county, Linyi. [Photo/Linyi Daily]

Editor：韩蒙蒙