Dongping Lake fishing festival returns with record harvest

After a five-month seasonal fishing ban, Dongping Lake in Tai'an reopened on Sept 1, marking the start of the annual fishing festival.

The event, filled with drumming, dancing, and festivities, saw fishing boats leaving at dawn and coming back full of carp, silver carp, and bighead trout.

Fisherman Dong Zaiyun was happy: "This catch was over 750 kilograms. Thanks to better water, the fish grow and sell fast — all ordered before we docked."

Another fisherman, Wu Bing, caught a 32.6-kilogram black carp, named this year's fish king, showing the lake's recovery and market draw.

The festival had fresh fish tastings, cultural shows, and live sales, attracting people and buyers from the area.

Dongping Lake, the second-largest freshwater lake in Shandong, is a key flood storage area of the Yellow River Basin. It's important for the South-North Water Diversion Project and Grand Canal restoration. With ongoing work, its water quality has consistently reached Grade III, and some are at Grade II.

The better ecosystem supports 48 fish species and over 1,469 wildlife species, including 26 protected by the state. The county supports eco-friendly fishing — both in the lake and through modern aquaculture — integrating fish breeding, processing, and leisure fishing, making it a model for green rural growth.

Dongping has also released over 300 million fish and crab seedlings since 2005, enhancing biodiversity, cleaning water, and improving lives — a real balance of economy, society, and ecology.

After a five-month seasonal fishing ban, Dongping Lake in Tai'an reopens on Sept 1, marking the start of the annual fishing festival. [Photo by Chen Yang/for chinadaily.com.cn]