Oysters, crabs flourish in desert ponds

Snow-water salmon

The development of seafood farming in Xinjiang is providing new food choices and generating employment opportunities for local residents.

"The initiative has enriched Aral's lineup of specialty agricultural products and added new dimensions to Zhejiang-Xinjiang industrial collaboration and consumption-based assistance," said Zhu Jie, head of the project fund industry group of the Zhejiang Taizhou aid-Xinjiang command.

The benefits of aquaculture extend beyond Aral.

"Being able to eat fresh salmon in this edge-of-the-desert area truly enriches our taste buds and adds a special ingredient to our dining tables," said Zhang Hu, a resident of Nantun township in Tiemenguan.

What makes fresh salmon possible in a desert region is a natural resource. Hu Jianli, who is in charge of an aquaculture company in Tiemenguan, explained the water comes from the snowmelt of the Kunlun Mountains and is clean enough for human consumption.

"Testing has shown it meets direct-drinking standards. It is precisely this unique cold water resource that has allowed a seemingly impossible industry — salmon farming — to take root at the edge of the desert."

Hu added the answer to keeping the water clean lies in a waste-collection system at the bottom of the net cages.

Waste such as fish feces and leftover feed produced during salmon farming is collected through waste-collection devices, piped to onshore treatment facilities, processed into organic fertilizer and ultimately returned to the fields.

"The whole system forms a closed loop, with aquaculture waste kept out of the reservoir water, achieving cyclic utilization of aquaculture waste," said Hu.

Beyond new food options on local tables, the industry is also creating jobs.

Farmers have joined the initiative and added nearly 70 hectares of their own aqua farms, Chen said.

His company employs over 500 workers at its breeding bases, paying around 5,000 yuan a month plus free meals and accommodation.

One of them is Subinur Aimaier, a 25-year-old Uygur graduate of Xinjiang Vocational University, where she studied to become a primary schoolteacher.

After graduating in 2025, she returned to her hometown and spent over six months leading a team of tutors at a local cram school. Looking for a career change, she came across a recruitment notice from Chen's company.

Subinur is now attending a company training program on livestreaming in Urumqi, running from Oct 20 to 30. It covers script writing, on-camera presentation, techniques for promoting local specialties, and prepares her to promote the company's aquatic products via livestreams.

She said the job has also introduced her to breeding technologies that were previously unavailable in Xinjiang. She is satisfied with the salary of 4,000 to 5,000 yuan a month, and her workplace is close to home.

"I've gained independence and confidence," Subinur said.

She said given the opportunity, she would like to start a business with Chen.