The local white belt fish has shrunk and the land price is rising year after year. Is it a business opportunity or a crisis in China?

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In response to the discussion over the popularity of white belt fish in China, it has evoked the past memories of this "copper coin delicacy" in Taiwan. In the past, white belt fish used to be a common household dish at the dinner table, but in recent years, domestic white belt fish have become rare and expensive, and not only the people feel it, but fishermen who live on the sea generally find that "there seems to be less large white belt fish," Captain Penghu Hung described. In the past, there were many and very large white belt fish, and they began to decrease about a decade ago. in the past, half of the white belt fish caught were more than three fingers wide, but now the width of three fingers is only about 20%.

The secretary of the fishing club in Ziguan District of Kaohsiung City, which is located on the southwest coast, said that white belt fish can be caught all year round, but winter is the peak season and the catch is relatively abundant. It is true that the number of fish caught has declined in recent years, and the thickness and width of fish have also shrunk. "the catch and size of white belt fish are very different."

Captain Zhang Fengyi, who operates Jiyang sea fishing boats in the north and has 30 years of fishing experience, laments that he can't go back when he mentions the catch. In the past, big-tailed white belt fish with five or six fingers wide were very common, but now they are generally less than three or four fingers wide, and the number is declining year by year. The fishing results are usually calculated on the basis of the "number of refrigerators." in the past, a box of 100-liter mini-refrigerators could fill about 130-150 white belt fish (about 60-70 jin), and each person could catch two cases a night. "now you have to count bars. 40 or 50 jin a night is awesome."

Fishermen responded that the number of white belt fish had a decreasing trend in recent years, and the catch was not as abundant as it used to be. (courtesy of / Zhang Fengyi)

Data collation / Xu Chengyi Chinese market "big and small" white belt fish business opportunity or crisis?

The warning revealed that "the number becomes smaller and the fish become smaller" is attributed to the display of huge business opportunities. China's demand for white belt fish is increasing. Even if it catches more than 1 million tons a year, it still has to rely on imports. Even the small-tailed white belt fish, which Taiwan does not like and has low economic value, are also scrambling for them.

The white belt fish not only creates the economic miracle of the Taiwan Strait, but also brings disaster to itself. The price of white belt fish is rising, and more and more people are engaged in fishing. in the past, it was mainly sold domestically. in recent years, the number of exports to China has doubled year after year. "it is only when there is demand and profit that some people desperately catch white belt fish. Many fishing boats changed to catch white belt fish a few years ago, because the white belt fish are along the coastal waters, the daily oil money is not very much, the cost is low and the price is good, and some fishing boats even do not return to Hong Kong. Direct sea trading, that price is better. " Ah Wen, a cadre of the northern fishing association, revealed his observation experience standing on the front line.

However, the history of the sale of white belt fish has not just started in the past three or four years. Fishermen described that fishing boats along the Penghu and southwest coasts began to transport white belt fish to China as early as 20 years ago. At that time, they saw the freezer cabinets stay in the port waiting for the fishing boats to unload and load, and then set sail. Some Penghu fishing boats even traded directly at sea, and the volume of a transaction should not be underestimated, pointing out that the resources have shrunk year by year since then. In recent years, it should be the increase in the proportion of corner sales in Northeast China, so that the policy and resources of white belt fish will attract much attention.

Captain Tsai in Tainan feels deeply that the price of white belt fish has become much better over the past few years. "more than a decade ago, the market cost NT $200 to NT $300 a jin, and fish that were too small could only be sold cheaply to make fodder. Now (a jin) has reached more than 400."