HARBIN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Since the first ice holes of the season were carved into Lianhuan Lake in Heilongjiang, on Dec. 27, 2024, the northernmost Chinese province has been buzzing with action -- waves of tourists eager to experience the region's winter tradition of ice fishing and reel in bumper catches.
During the 50-day winter fishing season, the province held 210 fishing-themed activities in 17 counties and urban areas, with 6.4 million kg of fish harvested, earning a revenue of 213 million yuan (about 29.7 million U.S. dollars), according to the provincial department of agriculture and rural affairs.
Han Peng, director of the department's fisheries administration, said 15 fishery investment project contracts, worth 1.43 billion yuan, were inked during the events. The winter activities drew nearly 1.5 million visitors to Heilongjiang, contributing to reeling in overall tourism revenue of 895 million yuan for the province.
Han said Heilongjiang boasts more than 433,333 hectares of aquaculture waters with more than 100 fish species. The total winter harvest of aquatic products in the province is expected to exceed 900 million kg by 2025.
Meanwhile, the promotion of ice fishing in Heilongjiang's neighboring province of Jilin has also given a boost to winter agritourism. For centuries, people have been ice fishing on Jilin's Chagan Lake. The tradition was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. The recent surge in tourism has breathed new life into this age-old practice.
Since kicking off the season with a mile-long fish seine pulled from the ice-covered lake in December, the Chagan Lake Ice and Snow Fishing and Hunting Cultural Tourism Festival concluded its 60-day event with 1.79 million visitors, and 1.62 billion yuan in revenue, a year-on-year increase of 23.29 percent.
According to the local fishery administration, the annual haul of fish from Chagan Lake is maintained at approximately 5,000 tonnes to sustain the natural resources. The local authorities have also introduced replenishment measures through the release of fish fry.
There are three townships and over 30 natural villages surrounding the big lake. The local authorities estimate that revenue from the ice-lake fishing festival brought an income averaging 16,000 yuan per person for the residents this winter.
Besides the spectacle of net fishing, tourists were drawn by a wide array of fun activities such as ice skating and ice kart racing.
"I tried 'Ice Monkey,' which was super fun," said Brianna Karioki, an American tourist, referring to a Chinese game that involves a spinning top on the icy surface.
She said she came to experience the lake fishing. Despite the cold weather, she could not resist taking out her phone to capture and share this unique scene with her family and friends.
Xu Dongfang, owner of a lakeside fish restaurant, said people had made reservations more than half a month before the start of the winter fishing season.
"Our restaurant has grown from a small courtyard to over 300 square meters. Our annual income has been between 400,000 and 500,000 yuan in recent years," Xu said.
Long winters used to see a seasonal hibernation in the frigid northeastern region. However, with the booming ice-and-snow travel trend, tourism has been promoted through a diverse array of sectors such as fishing, culture promotion and sports, with Heilongjiang's capital of Harbin hosting the 9th Asian Winter Games in February. ■
