Yichang's sturgeon industry ranks among China's top
2026-01-15 20:01:18
By Yan Wanqin
Yichang's sturgeon industry ranked among China's top in 2025, with biomass reserves exceeding 12,000 tons, annual caviar production surpassing 220 tons, and total industry output value reaching over 1.5 billion yuan (US$215 million). The sector comprises 24 aquaculture enterprises and nine processing facilities, establishing itself as a vital engine for regional economic development and rural revitalization.
According to Yang Jun, director of the Yichang Aquatic Technology Station, production is concentrated along the Qing River in Yidu and Changyang, with additional operations in several other counties. Yang noted that the broader industrial chain drives an overall output value exceeding 10 billion yuan, while major expansion projects are accelerating value-added transformation. These include a 160-million-yuan integrated farming and deep-processing facility in Xingshan County and a 120-million-yuan aquaculture-tourism complex in Yiling District.
Yichang's sturgeon industry ranked among China's top in 2025, with biomass reserves exceeding 12,000 tons, annual caviar production surpassing 220 tons, and total industry output value reaching over 1.5 billion yuan (US$215 million). The sector comprises 24 aquaculture enterprises and nine processing facilities, establishing itself as a vital engine for regional economic development and rural revitalization.
According to Yang Jun, director of the Yichang Aquatic Technology Station, production is concentrated along the Qing River in Yidu and Changyang, with additional operations in several other counties. Yang noted that the broader industrial chain drives an overall output value exceeding 10 billion yuan, while major expansion projects are accelerating value-added transformation. These include a 160-million-yuan integrated farming and deep-processing facility in Xingshan County and a 120-million-yuan aquaculture-tourism complex in Yiling District.
The farm at Hubei Qingjiang Sturgeon Valley Special Fisheries Co., Ltd.The industry's rapid growth has been propelled by advanced facility-based aquaculture, with Yichang now hosting over 80 operators spanning 1.8 million cubic meters. Hubei Qingjiang Sturgeon Valley Special Fisheries Co., Ltd., a flagship enterprise in Yidu, operates the world's largest indoor sturgeon breeding facility, housing more than 1.1 million fish and producing over 100 tons of caviar annually.
Yidu plans to develop a sturgeon industry museum and caviar experience center, creating a comprehensive industrial park that integrates breeding, processing, tourism, and leisure activities to further strengthen the sector's development.
Jie Xingwei also contributed to this story.
