Wuxi fishermen haul up nethauling in nets for Spring Festival

Fishermen in Ehu township of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, jump into cold water to haul in black carp for the upcoming Spring Festival. [Photo by Sun Quan for China Daily]

Fishermen in Ehu township of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, began to haul in their first net of black carp -- a popular choice for locals during the Spring Festival.

The fish is called Ganlu black carp, which literally means "sweet dew black carp" in Chinese. People living in Wuxi and neighboring areas have a tradition of purchasinging the fish for the most important festival in China.

The history of local fishermen farming the fish can be traced back to 1924. They are usually farmed in clean ponds and fed with snails and clams.

A 5-kilogram Ganlu black carp, according to local fishermen, eats about 150 kg of snails and clams in over four years to gain weight.

About 1.25 million kg of Ganlu black carp are expected to be caught and served to locals before the Spring Festival, according to the township's fisheries association.

Fishermen in Ehu township of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, jump into cold water to haul in black carp for the upcoming Spring Festival. [Photo by Sun Quan for China Daily]