Fishermen, seafood farmers embrace new year with good harvest in Sichuan, Jiangsu

The year 2025 got off to a good start for fishermen and seafood farmers in Sichuan and Jiangsu with a bumper harvest of aquatic products on the New Year's Day.

Fishermen gathered at Shengzhong Lake in Nanchong City of southwest China's Sichuan Province early Wednesday morning to engage in the first fishing activity this year.

The freshly-caught fish were transferred to a transport ship before being sent to the shore for sorting and weighing.

Many businesspeople traveled a long way to the lake to buy the fish which have a long-standing reputation for good taste.

"We have been buying organic fish grown in Shengzhong Lake for many years. Their meat is tender and delicious. We sell a lot of the fish every day, usually 1,000 to 1,500 kilograms a day," said He Dengquan, a buyer from Guangyuan City in Sichuan.

Meanwhile, fishermen in the coastal city of Lianyungang in east China's Jiangsu Province returned from the sea, bringing back this year's first batch of seafood including mantis shrimps and swimming crabs to Ganyu District early Wednesday morning.

The fishermen started sorting the aquatic products as soon as they moved their harvest to the shore.

"In the Yellow Sea, we caught more than 150 kilograms of conchs, more than 100 kilograms of swimming crabs, and more than 50 kilograms of mantis shrimps," said Liang Yongtuan, a fisherman.

In Lianyun District of Lianyungang, 8,000 hectares of oysters are ready for harvest.

At a farm, oysters have become plump after more than three months of growth. Farmers have been busy pulling up cages of oysters onto boats.

"We grow oysters across this 666.67 hectares of sea, with an output of about 8.5 million kilograms. We have been harvesting the oysters and selling them to the market. This year we began harvesting a little later than last year, while the oyster's quality and price are very good," said Lin Bo, an oyster farmer.

Fishermen, seafood farmers embrace new year with good harvest in Sichuan, Jiangsu

A growing number of the Chinese elderly citizens have embraced a "migratory birds" lifestyle to spend winter in warmer areas in recent years, boosting local hospitality industry.

The Guangxi Beihai International Passenger Port, in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is recently witnessing an increasing number of tourists, especially middle-aged and elderly people from the northern parts of China.

Colorful activities are held at the port to welcome the visitors, including lively folk song and dance performances, a rich variety of local cultural and creative accessories for sale, and foods with local characteristics.

"We first came to Beihai in 2019. My parents have been living here since then, and I travel back and forth. They have lived here for five years," said Pan Nan, a resident from northwest China's Gansu Province.

Beihai is located in the subtropics with a mild climate all year round, and the average temperature in winter is around 18 degrees Celsius. Many middle-aged and elderly people choose to spend the winter here and enjoy life together.

"What I am painting now is the mangroves in Beihai. I come from Shandong Province and I also have a property in Jiaodong Peninsula. I may stay there for a few months in the summer and spend most of the time here," said Li Baochun, another resident.

Many elderly people choose to rent homestays or hotels, and some even bought local properties in Beihai, making the city their second home.

"Now I basically live here in Beihai. Only after June in the summer, I go back to Datong for four months. Then I come back right after the National Day. I spend eight months here every year," said Li Yumei, a resident from north China's Shanxi Province.

According to statistics, the number of people living temporarily in Beihai increased from 150,000-160,000 in 2018 to more than 500,000 in 2023.

Seniors' embracing of 'migratory-bird' lifestyle contributes to Guangxi's tourism boom