Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Under the warm autumn sun, at the Shishixian water management facility located in the central part of the Taklamakan Desert in the Qiemo County of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, 100,000 marine fry have adapted to the local environment, finding their "new home" in the desert.

According to the facility's manager, Gong Yunhun, since June of this year, when the water quality in the ponds reached the required standard, they have released the first batch of "marine inhabitants" — 100,000 fry of rare fish species, including silver pomfret, rock bass, mullet, dark sigan, and eel. Thanks to meticulous care, the survival rate of the fry has exceeded 99%.

Experiment in Marine fish farming in the desert

Before venturing into marine fish farming in the desert, Gong Yunhun conducted thorough market research and numerous field surveys, discovering that as living standards rise, so does the demand for high-quality seafood. Despite the harsh natural conditions, desert regions offer unique advantages for cultivating certain marine organisms due to abundant sunlight and significant temperature fluctuations between day and night. Based on this insight, Gong Yunhun developed a detailed fish farming plan and decided to establish the facility in the Tatiyan settlement of Qiemo County.

The facility covers 20 mu (approximately 1.33 hectares) and includes two fish ponds, one fish breeding pool, and a standardized seafood production workshop. In addition to marine fish, 2 million pearl oysters and some species of marine mollusks have also been introduced into the ponds for trial cultivation. The first batch of marine fish is expected to enter the market in large quantities by the end of this year, with distribution planned across the country.

Gong Yunhun reported that construction of the facility began in March this year, and the stocking process officially started on June 22. The fry are growing well, increasing in size from three to eight or nine centimeters.

Technological innovations make dreams a reality

Cultivating seafood in the desert poses significant challenges, such as water scarcity, temperature conditions, and ecological concerns. Addressing these issues requires reliance on technological innovations. "We found that the water quality in Qiemo County is very good, and the microflora is quite rich. After numerous analyses and trial cultivations, we are confident in the success of fish farming in the Taklamakan Desert," Gong Yunhun noted.

Gong Yunhun and his team have not only developed an ecological intelligent circulation system that maintains a constant temperature but have also made significant breakthroughs in specialized technologies for cultivating seafood on saline-alkali land and in desert conditions. By implementing smart technologies, the facility has achieved zero antibiotic use, zero emissions, and zero pollution. Daily management of the ponds now requires only two people.

High-quality seafood is expected to gain recognition in the market. Therefore, Gong Yunhun is actively establishing connections with distributors from various regions, participating in agricultural product exhibitions, and utilizing e-commerce platforms to expand sales channels, so that more people can try sea delicacies from the depths of the desert in the future.

Gong Yunhun also indicated that the facility plans to actively explore a model that integrates marine fisheries with the tourism industry, transforming the farm into a multifunctional demonstration center that combines fish farming, tours, and recreation.