In the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot in 2009, fishery owners Chen Wenming and his wife, Luo Wenling, returned to their hometown to take over the family business amidst the devastation of the natural disaster. Just like how their homestay stands distinctly amidst the fish farms, Canaan Fish Farm also diverges from the traditional route. In addition to experimenting with non-traditional fish feed and pest control methods in aquaculture, they also move away from conventional production and sales strategies, aiming for a six-tier development model.
Introduction
Luo Wenling, who used to be a kindergarten teacher, stands out as a rare young woman in the fishing village. Selected as one of the top 100 young farmers in 2016 and earning the title of Expert in Production and Marketing in 2019, she is driven by ideas of local innovation, fisheries leisure and tourism development, and most importantly, promoting the fish carefully raised by Chen Wenming.
Luo Wenling has invested a great deal of effort into fish education. With modern young people consuming less fish than the previous generation, she ponders, “If the market continues to shrink, what will happen to producers in the future?” Taking on the responsibility of recruiting customers, she utilizes various channels such as homestays, leisure fisheries, and Canaan restaurant (located in Chaozhou) to advocate for the benefits of eating fish and how to incorporate fish into one’s diet.
From 2014 to 2016, Canaan Fish Farm won top prize in the National Groupers competition for three consecutive years, has been certified for production and sales, as well as obtaining EU export certification. With a farming area of over one hectare, its main aquaculture products are groupers and red-banded seabreams. Chen Wenming’s approach to feeding and medication breaks away from tradition. He reduces farming density, providing fish with ample space for movement to make the fish less prone to illness. Additionally, he adds live bacteria and adopts biological control methods instead of administering medication. Adding shrimp to the mix eliminates large parasites such as leeches and fish lice larvae. Furthermore, to simulate natural conditions in water for the fish, fresh feed is used in lieu of traditional dry feed. Due to the high water content in mixed fish and shrimp feed, fish digest it more easily, leading to increased vitality. Canaan Fish Farm also raises a small number of grass shrimp and white shrimp, providing pesticide-free ingredients throughout the entire process.
Features of Agricultural Tourism
Fish Farming
- Aquaculture Tour: Groups of 10 or more can make bookings and customized content is available based on the group’s preferences, with specially tailored experiential programs for young children.
Accommodation and Food Packages: Canaan Fish Farm has obtained the Tourism Bureau’s Hospitable Homestay certification, offering accommodation packages combined with fishery experiences for lodging guests.
