Sayram Lake, a cold-water fish haven and tourist delight

In Bortala Mongolian autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, travelers can both enjoy the picturesque view of Sayram Lake and savor delicious cold-water fish sourced from the lake.

The lake held no fish until a local aquaculture body decided to introduce the northern whitefish (Coregonus peled), a well-adapted cold-water fish, from Russia in 1998. It was a successful breeding experiment two years later that became a milestone of Sayram's fishery development.

Nowadays, tourists can learn about the fishery's history and watch different fish in the Cold-water Fish Park, invested by Saihu fishery company, one of China's largest exporters of northern whitefish.

"Our fish are primarily transported to restaurants in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai once they are caught, ensuring delivery within 24 hours," said Bi Fuyang, the company's assistant general manager. The company also works with universities nationwide on cold-water fish hatching techniques.