Ranking of China’s top ten seafood and aquatic products

There are four major sea areas in our country. Due to differences in geographical location, weather and climate, each region has its own unique seafood types and tastes! So do you know what delicious seafood is available in these waters? This article lists China’s top ten seafood and aquatic specialties. Let’s see if it ranks among the top ten seafood in your mind.

1. Large yellow croaker

As one of the traditional "Four Seafoods" (including large yellow croaker, small yellow croaker, hairtail and squid), large yellow croaker is one of the main economic fish in China's offshore waters. It usually inhabits deeper waters and migrates offshore to lay eggs from April to June. After spawning, they will disperse along the coast in search of fish, shrimp, etc. for food. In autumn and winter, they migrate to deep sea areas. Interestingly, the swim bladder of large yellow croaker can make sounds, which fishermen often use to estimate the size of fish schools. Large yellow croaker is distributed in the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the southern part of the Yellow Sea. It is one of China's important economic fish species. They can be eaten fresh or used to make delicacies such as yellow croaker. In addition, the swim bladder of large yellow croaker can also be made into glue. Recently, the technology of artificially breeding large yellow croaker has been widely used.

2. Gooseneck barnacles

Gooseneck barnacle (commonly known as dog claw snail) is a kind of barnacle-like creature, also known as sea chicken's foot in my country. It has been praised as "seafood from hell". It lives in the crevices of islands and reefs where currents exchange frequently. Gooseneck barnacles have very high requirements on water quality and require an environment rich in trace elements. It has a fresh and sweet taste. The head of the gooseneck barnacle is long-stalked and attached to the bottom of the base. It has white calcareous bony plates with orange opening edges. It can continuously extend and contract its brown feathery appendages to feed on plankton. It is usually attached to floating wood or other objects. The international value of one pound of gooseneck barnacles is about 1,500 yuan, while high-quality gooseneck barnacles can be sold for as much as 5,000 yuan per pound.

3. Tiger crab

The frog crab is an animal of the genus Frogniidae and is also known as sea bug or mantis shrimp. It looks like a frog and is sometimes called frog crab, tiger crab, Garfield crab, retrograde crab, etc. The cephalothorax of the frog crab is frog-shaped, longer than wide, with the front half wider than the back half. Its surface is raised, and except for the soft hairs on and near the forehead, there are scaly protrusions pointing forward all over the body. Its meat is plump and delicious. In terms of eating, similar to lobster, the most delicious way is to cook it with soup or cheese. Frog-shaped crab is one of the common seafood ingredients for banquets in Taiwan. The price of tiger crab depends on factors such as origin, size and season, and is approximately between 60-180 yuan.

4. Dalian sea cucumber

Dalian sea cucumber is a specialty seafood of Dalian City and a geographical indication product of China. It is a sea cucumber, called Liao cucumber in ancient times, and is produced along the coast of Dalian. Dalian sea cucumber, also known as sea rat or sea cucumber, is a precious seafood that has existed for 600 million years. Sea cucumber meat is soft and tender, rich in nutrients, and is a typical high-protein, low-fat food. It has a rich and delicious taste with elegant flavor and is one of the most famous delicacies. In Chinese food, it is as famous as bird's nest, abalone and shark's fin. It often plays an important role in high-end occasions and is regarded as one of the souls of Chinese food.

5. Shengsi mussels

Shengsi mussels are a specialty of Shengsi County, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, and are also a geographical indication product in China. In the Shengsi dialect, it is called "Mucai" and is also known as Haihong (Lady of the East China Sea), red clam and shell vegetable. Shengsi County is located in an area with superior sea environment. The water quality is fertile, the food is sufficient, and the temperature is suitable, providing good habitat conditions for marine life. Therefore, Shengsi mussels have an excellent growing environment here. The Department of Agriculture classifies it as a Class I shellfish production area. The Shengsi people have a long history of collecting wild mussels for human consumption and trade. The mussels produced are larger in size, the meat is tender and plump, the meat yield is high, the nutrients are rich, and they are pollution-free. It is one of the delicacies among seafood.

6. Dalian Abalone

Dalian abalone is a seafood specialty of Dalian City, Liaoning Province, and is also a geographical indication product of China. Dalian City is the main producing area of China's wrinkled abalone. The wrinkled abalone is commonly known as "four-hole abalone" or "abalone" locally. It is a high-quality variety in the abalone family and is famous for its unique seafood flavor. It has the reputation of "the crown of seafood". The meat of abalone is tender and rich in nutrients. It has been regarded as one of the "Eight Treasures of Seafood" since ancient times. Even in the early years, Europeans regarded abalone as a high-quality fresh ingredient and was praised as "soft gold on the table."

7. Rizhao golden squid

Rizhao golden squid is a seafood specialty from Lanshan District, Rizhao City, Shandong Province, and is also one of the geographical indications of agricultural products in the country. Golden squid, also known as cuttlefish, belongs to the class Cephalopod, order Sepia, family Sepia, and genus Sepia. It is large in size and has thick and delicious meat. It has extremely high economic value and is a high-quality wild species of large economic cephalopods in warm seas. Rizhao golden squid is one of the four major local specialties in Rizhao. It mainly inhabits the coastal waters of Rizhao City. Its carcass is plump and the meat is delicious. This is the unique characteristic of Rizhao golden squid. In addition, the "mullet egg" of the golden squid is a traditional delicacy made from its ovaries. It is listed as a traditional tribute and is well-known at state banquets. It has become a shining business card of Rizhao Aquatic Products.

8. Zhoushan Hairtail

Zhoushan hairtail is a type of hairtail caught in the waters around Zhoushan. It is a specialty of Zhoushan and one of the first seafood in the country to obtain a geographical indication certification trademark. It is also one of the four major economic fish in Zhoushan fisheries. Zhoushan Hairtail has a wide body, delicate flesh, and extremely delicious taste. It is rich in nutrients, especially high protein content and unique DHA composition, which are not found in other sea hairtail fish. Zhoushan hairtail has high flexibility. Holding the middle part of the hairtail, it can be hung to the tail to form an inverted U shape. Fresh Zhoushan hairtail is suitable for steaming and cooking. The meat is delicious and not fishy, and there are no big bones or foreign body feeling that are common in other hairtails. Because of its uniqueness, Zhoushan hairtail is very popular at home and abroad and is known as "the most delicious hairtail in the world".

9. Three-door Blue Crab

Sanmen blue crab is a specialty of Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province, and is also a geographical indication product of China. Sanmen County is known as the hometown of blue crabs. The water temperature and salinity of Sanmen Bay here are moderate, and the water is rich in microorganisms. The green crab's shell is bright blue in color, its shell is thin and its claws are large, its body is strong and plump, its meat is tender and exudes a rich fragrance, and it is a low-fat and high-protein delicacy. Blue crab has a low water content, high protein content, and is rich in fresh and sweet amino acids. Its meat is plump and firm, tastes delicious and sweet, and has an excellent texture. The appearance characteristics of blue crabs are "green back, yellow belly, golden claws, and scarlet pincers", which form a good variety characteristic of being cold-resistant and adaptable to different salinities and temperatures. In the editor's opinion, three-door blue crab is a seafood specialty worth trying.

10. Kongtong Island sea cucumber

Kongtong Island sea cucumber is a specialty of Zhifu District, Yantai City, Shandong Province, and is also a national geographical indication of agricultural products. Kongtong Island sea cucumber grows under specific humanistic, historical and natural environmental conditions, and is mainly produced in the waters surrounding the Kongtong Islands. The breeding area reaches 7,690 hectares and can produce about 280 tons of fresh sea cucumbers every year. The meat of Kongtong Island sea cucumber is thick and tight, smooth and delicate in the mouth, elastic, delicious, and rich in nutrients, especially protein.

The ranking of China's top ten seafood and aquatic specialties is a selection of unique seafood and aquatic products in our country, with reference to the "National Geographical Indication Products" and "Agricultural Products Geographical Indication" assessed by the Ministry of Agriculture, combined with the domestic popularity of seafood, Internet attention index, and Honors, etc., and refer to relevant Internet rankings/lists for comprehensive recommendations. The rankings are in no particular order. The list is for reference only. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment/criticize at the end.

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