Since 2002, about 156 million fingerlings of naked carp have been rescued and cultivated by a rescue center located on the bank of Qinghai Lake, the largest salt water lake in China, contributing 23 percent to the recovery of naked carp resources in the lake.

Photo shows fingerlings of naked carp. (China News Agency/Li Jun)

The species of carp is endemic to Qinghai Lake in northwest China’s Qinghai province. As the only large wild economic fish in the lake, naked carp occupies a core position of the lake’s ecosystem.

Having 18 outdoor fishing grounds with a total area of 15,000 square meters, the rescue center provides a shelter for 20 million fingerlings of naked carp to survive winter.

"In winter, the temperatures on the plateaus are very low, and the oxygen content will gradually decrease. It is extremely important to help the fingerlings survive the winter. Our center is like a kindergarten for naked carps. They grow up from needle-sized fingerlings to one year old, and will then be sent back to Qinghai Lake,” said Tian Wengen, head of a breeding ground of the rescue center who has been taking care of batches of naked carp "babies" for 10 years.

Photo shows the constant temperature breeding workshop in the rescue center, December 28, 2020. (China News Agency/Li Jiangning)

There is no aeration equipment in the outdoor fishing grounds, which means a very important job for Tian and his colleagues in winter is to timely remove snow from the ice surface so that the plankton can release oxygen in the water through photosynthesis.

The rescue center has also adopted an advanced constant-temperature circulating water system to improve the quality of naked carp.

Photo shows eggs of naked carp. (China News Agency/Li Jun)

Under such efforts, the average length of the species of carp has been improved from 7.5-10 cm to approximately 15 cm, with its average weight lifted from 10g to around 16g.

In addition, the center has meticulously archived information on the fish fingerlings, a move to protect the stock of naked carp from each sub-species, explained Shi Jianquan, director of the breeding center.

Two staff members of the rescue center observe the status of naked carp, December 28, 2020. (China News Agency/Li Jiangning)