Annual winter fishing festival kicks off on frozen Ulungur Lake

The annual Winter Fishing Festival opened on the frozen Ulungur Lake in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday. For over six decades, fishermen have followed the traditional winter fishing method by putting down a giant net that can be over 1,000 meters long under the ice. A single trawl net can capture more than 5,000 kg of fishes.
This region has turned the tradition into a cultural event by holding a winter fishing festival. The Festival has attracted much attention from both domestic and foreign tourists despite a low temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius. Ulungur Lake is one of China’s 10 largest freshwater lakes, and is home to more than 20 fish species.