現代美味中國小龍蝦之鄉的崛起
Thirty years ago, crayfish were little more than a nuisance for the rice farmers of eastern and central China, but the invasive species has become big business for one city.
30年前，對於中國東部和中部的稻農來說，小龍蝦是一個公害。然而，這個入侵的物種已經成爲了一座城市的主要產業。Nearly two of three crayfish eaten in Europe hail from the small town of Qianjiang in Hubei Province. Qianjiang sold $190 million worth of the crustacean to foreign buyers in 2015, up 27 percent year-on-year, becoming the country's largest crayfish export base.
出口到歐洲的龍蝦，約有三分之二來自於湖北省潛江市這個小城市。潛江市2015年出口的小龍蝦價值約1.9億美元，同比增長27%，成爲中國最大的小龍蝦出口基地。To sharpen its edge in the industry, the town set up a research institute dedicated to breeding crayfish in mid-June, shortly after it opened a vocational school to train cooks in preparing crayfish dishes.
潛江市開了一家職業學校專門培訓烹飪小龍蝦的廚師，不久之後的6月中旬，該市又建立了一個小龍蝦養殖中心，以增強其產業優勢。
China is the world's largest producer of crayfish, with annual output accounting for over 70 percent of the world's total. Native to North America, crayfish were brought to east China's Jiangsu Province by a Japanese merchant in the 1920s. They appeared in the Jianghan Plain, where Qianjiang is located, about 30 years ago. With fertile land and a large network of rivers and lakes, the plain is an ideal habitat for the species.
中國是世界是最大的小龍蝦產地，年出口量佔全球總份額的70%。小龍蝦原產北美洲，上世紀20年代，一位日本商人將其引入到了中國江蘇省。約30年前，小龍蝦出現在了江漢平原，而這裏正是潛江市所在地。憑藉肥沃的土地和大型的河流湖泊網絡，江漢平原成了小龍蝦的理想棲息地。They weren't always a welcome addition to the ecosystem, especially for local farmers. "They pinched off rice seedlings in the paddy fields, and made tunnels in ridges that caused water loss," said Liu Zhuquan from Baowan village in Qianjiang.
除了生態系統外，他們並非總是如此的受歡迎，尤其是對於當地農民來說。潛江市寶灣村村民劉朱全說，“他們咬斷田裏的水稻苗，在壟上打洞使得水分流失。”Later, however, villagers came to find the shellfish tasty and started raising them in the paddies in 2001.
不過，後來，人們發現這種甲殼類動物很美味，於是，自2001年就開始在稻田裏養殖。Liu said this summer his crayfish have sold for 60 yuan (about $9) per kilogram, while his rice goes for 32 yuan a kilogram -- both much higher than prices elsewhere.
劉朱全表示，今年夏天他的小龍蝦賣到了60元（約9美元）一公斤，而他的大米賣32元一公斤--二者的價格都比其他地方的要高。Farming crayfish and rice simultaneously does not require chemical fertilizers, pesticides or result in contaminated water, ensuring safe products. Green farming methods help improve the quality of both crayfish and rice, according to Jiang Youyu, head of Qianjiang's crayfish farming association.
潛江小龍蝦養殖協會負責人江有玉介紹，養殖小龍蝦和種大米，都不需要化肥、殺蟲劑，也不會污染水源，保證了產品的安全。綠色農業技術又幫助提高了二者的質量。E-commerce has helped expand the domestic market for Qianjiang crayfish, with revenue from online sales exceeding 100 million yuan last year. Spicy crayfish dishes are popular across the country to pair with beer on summer nights.
電子商務平臺幫助潛江小龍蝦擴大了國內市場業務，去年網絡平臺的營收超過了1億元。中國各地都非常流行麻辣小龍蝦配上啤酒作夜宵。
