Fish and prawns are filling concrete tanks and blue-lined pools where dunes once stretched uninterrupted across the horizon. An ambitious aquaculture experiment is subtly changing what can and cannot be grown on a dying landscape in the Taklamakan Desert of western China.
From the “sea of death” to the seafood center
Xinjiang’s Taklamakan Desert has long been known as the “sea of death.” It is more than 300,000 square kilometres in size and receives less than 100 millimetres of precipitation annually. Any kind of agriculture in this area was largely a pipe dream for many generations.
That image is evolving. What was once empty sand is now home to organised fish and shrimp farms in the counties of Qiemo, Makit, Atux, and the oasis city of Hotan. Artificial ponds are arranged in rows, fed by pipes, and encircled by tiny processing facilities.
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These locations are seen by Chinese authorities as a component of a larger national initiative. Beijing aims to demonstrate that food production can be separated from traditional coastlines and productive river valleys and lessen its dependency on imported seafood.
Around 196,500 tonnes of seafood were produced by farms in the Taklamakan region in 2024, indicating a swift industrial transformation in the desert.
Annual targets of hundreds of tonnes are reported by local facilities. Up to 280 tonnes of fish and shellfish are produced annually at a production facility in Hotan alone, with the majority going to domestic markets in the interior of China.
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The project seems almost ridiculous on paper: marine species in the middle of a desert basin that is isolated from the ocean. In reality, engineers are creating artificial oceans that are meticulously maintained down to the last microbe.
There is water beneath the desert, but it’s not the kind that most crops can use. The groundwater and soil are extremely alkaline and saline, making them unsuitable for maize or wheat but oddly appropriate for another project. After extracting brackish water from deep aquifers, technicians alter it.
The introduction of microbial cultures aids in stabilising the water’s chemistry. The mineral content and salinity are adjusted to resemble coastal seawater. The ponds are kept clean by filters and recirculation systems, and heating and cooling systems keep the temperatures constant despite the extreme day-to-night fluctuations in the desert.
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The science of aquaculture in the desert
Nature itself serves as one of the more intriguing sources of inspiration for these projects. Researchers in the area have discovered tiny prawn species that can live in transient, extremely salty pools in the desert. Because of their resilience, crustaceans may be able to adjust to stressful situations if their surroundings are carefully maintained.
This knowledge is used by research teams to improve their systems. To create a stable ecosystem in the tanks, they modify nutrient levels, trace minerals, and microbial life rather than just diluting salt. Simulating a functioning marine environment that promotes steady growth is more important than simply keeping fish alive.
Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are a major component of the strategy. In essence, these are closed-loop water networks that filter, treat, and repurpose waste. Although RAS technology reduces freshwater consumption, it requires ongoing energy input and technical know-how.
Jobs in the area and a new rural skill set
It’s not just a physical change. A new labour market is emerging around the farms. Former farmers or herders from neighbouring oasis towns make up a large portion of the workforce; they were trained as aquaculture technicians rather than field workers.
- Monitoring tanks and managing feeding
- Testing and adjusting water chemistry
- Upkeep of pump, filter, and heater equipment
- Fish and prawn processing and packaging
- Data recording and remote management of agricultural activities
Businesses and local governments support a partnership model where smaller producers oversee individual ponds and larger operators supply technology, feed, and juvenile fish. In an effort to earn a more steady income than traditional agriculture provides in such a harsh area, some workers are already preparing to lease or construct their own micro-farms under contract.
A precarious equilibrium between creativity and overreach
The project is on the verge of collapse behind the impressive numbers. The natural boundaries of the desert have merely been pushed back by extensive engineering; they have not vanished.
Evaporation is a persistent adversary. Large amounts of water disappear from open ponds when exposed to intense sunlight and dry winds. To compensate for the loss, operators must continue pumping from deep aquifers. Glacier melt from far-off mountains contributes to the gradual replenishment of those subterranean reserves. That backup supply might become less dependable as climatic patterns change.
In an area already strained by industry, agriculture, and climate change, the entire model depends on water that is difficult to swiftly replenish.
Additionally, there is the risk of pollution. Medicines, disinfectants, and carefully balanced feed are usually needed in intensive fish and prawn farming. Chemicals from waste or treatment may worsen salinisation or cause subtle, long-term contamination if they seep into nearby soils or aquifers.
Another issue is energy use. In a desert climate, electricity is required continuously to maintain steady temperatures and continuous circulation. The true climate impact of this “desert seafood” will depend on whether it is powered by coal, gas, or renewable energy.
A template for other arid areas?
The Taklamakan projects are seen as proof of concept by Chinese planners despite the obvious risks. Similar systems could be exported to other arid regions across the world, such as Central Asia, the Middle East, or portions of Africa and Australia, if it is possible to grow seafood profitably in one of the country’s most hostile deserts.
| Potential advantage | Potential benefit | danger |
|---|---|---|
| Security of food | Increased domestic production of protein away from the coast | reliance on delicate groundwater |
| Jobs in rural areas | New technical positions in isolated locations | instability if farms shut down or prices plummet |
| Export of technology | Possibility of selling machinery and expertise overseas | danger of spreading unsustainable practices abroad |
Desert aquaculture appears alluring to governments dealing with overfished coastlines or declining arable land. In areas that previously made minimal contributions to the food system, it promises high-density production. In Xinjiang, however, every new farm has to contend with the same issues China does: where the water comes from, how long it will last, and who bears the environmental cost.
Important ideas underlying the fish farms in Taklamakan
When talking about these desert projects, a number of technical concepts keep coming up. Comprehending them aids in elucidating both the possibilities and the constraints.
Systems for recirculating aquaculture (RAS)
Water is reused rather than discharged in RAS, which are closed or semi-closed systems. Mechanical filters catch fish waste. Ammonia and other hazardous substances are broken down into less toxic forms by biological filters, which frequently use bacteria. After being cleaned, the water returns to the tanks.
When compared to conventional ponds, these systems can reduce water use by up to 90%, but they require a large initial investment and are susceptible to technical malfunctions or power outages. Within hours, an entire fish crop could be in danger due to a single pump failure.
The resource of saline-alkaline land
Common in deserts, saline-alkali soils are typically seen as an agricultural challenge. They are transformed into a benefit in the Taklamakan experiment. They can create seawater-like conditions without having to move actual seawater over long distances thanks to their salty groundwater.
This change in viewpoint suggests a more general trend in food technology: reconsidering “waste” landscapes as possible areas for production. The reasoning behind vertical farms in abandoned urban warehouses and greenhouse farms on the Arabian Peninsula is similar.
What the future holds for farming in harsh environments
The Taklamakan farms may pave the way for even more ambitious plans if they continue to turn a profit and prevent significant environmental harm. Engineers discuss hybrid sites that integrate aquaculture parks with solar power plants. Ponds would be shaded by large arrays of panels to reduce evaporation, and the electricity would power cooling devices and pumps.
Genetic and breeding research on species more adapted to temperature shocks and saline groundwater is probably another step. Fish and prawn lines may eventually be chosen especially for desert habitats, bridging the gap between natural and artificial marine environments.
However, the same tactics that increase food production can also increase reliance on large infrastructure. Even if water tables begin to decline or climate extremes worsen, it becomes very difficult to move away from desert aquaculture once communities have refocused their economies around it.
At that intersection is the Taklamakan experiment. It provides a glimpse of a future in which the distinction between natural and artificial ecosystems becomes increasingly hazy and seafood is sourced from areas without any coastline at all.
