Fishing season opens at Bosten Lake with first shipment of frozen fish exported to Japan

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Hei Hongwei) news: The 112-day fishing ban on Bosten Lake was fully lifted on June 27, 2026, marking the start of a new season for fishing, processing and exports.

On the first day of the season, 15.78 tons of processed frozen pond smelt from the lake were shipped to Japan after completing inspection and quarantine procedures, further strengthening Xinjiang's brand of eco-friendly aquatic exports.

Customs officers from Korla Customs carry out supervision and inspection at an aquaculture farm for export in the Bosten Lake area in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Gao Ruiyu)

The pond smelt in this shipment is locally known as "cucumber fish." It is a common ingredient in high-end Japanese cuisine and is the main aquatic export species of Bosten Lake.

The fish are raised in a natural farming model with minimal human intervention. The meat is clear and tender, with a mild cucumber-like aroma. It is low in fat and high in protein, calcium and amino acids. The fish has only one main bone, making it easy to eat. The product has obtained organic certification.

For years, pond smelt from Bosten Lake has maintained a steady share of the Japanese import market in its category, with growing overseas recognition.

Open-water farming and the perishable nature of aquatic products pose major challenges for supervision at Bosten Lake. To address this, Korla Customs has introduced differentiated regulatory measures and built an integrated system that combines source control, on-lake patrols and process monitoring.

Customs has moved its inspection work to the lake's farming sites, replacing traditional static inspections with dynamic checks on water quality, the lake's ecosystem, fry stocking and the natural growth process. This ensures safety at the source of the aquatic products.

At the same time, it oversees the entire chain from fishing and cold-chain transport to processing and warehousing. It helps exporters set up product traceability systems, creating a full channel that tracks products from the lake to the consumer's table and filling gaps in oversight for open-water farming.

To prepare for the concentrated exports during the fishing season and the high time sensitivity of fresh goods, Korla Customs worked with fishery and environmental authorities to design a dedicated service plan around the fishing ban and opening schedule.

Customs officers provided one-on-one support to exporters, explaining Japan's import standards and rules of origin. They also streamlined on-site inspection procedures and opened a green channel for fresh agricultural exports, cutting clearance times to ensure smooth shipments.

Over the past decade, Korla Customs has overseen more than 12 million U.S. dollars in aquatic exports from Bosten Lake, with Xinjiang's specialty aquatic trade maintaining steady growth.

"Export declarations for aquatic products are concentrated during the fishing season. We have refined our supervision and services based on business needs. While ensuring food safety, we continue to speed up customs clearance and reduce costs for exporters," said Gao Chong, head of the supervision section at Korla Customs.

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