It has a long history. Written records about Chaohu Lake 3,000 years ago. It is the largest lake in Anhui Province.
Chaohu Lake is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in China and a famous "fish bank" in Anhui Province. According to statistics, there are as many as 94 species of fish in Chaohu Lake in history, the most famous of which is the "Three Treasures of Chaohu Lake", namely whitebait, white shrimp and white silk fish. Whitebait is the most famous of the "Three Treasures", and it is known as the "Queen of Fish" because of its transparency and rich nutritional value.
Whitebait in Chaohu Lake is the best fish, with an annual output of 169~484 tons in 1990s and 300~400 tons in normal years. In the total catch of Chaohu Lake, the proportion of whitebait is not high, generally only 2%~3%.