Shangzhuang reservoir in Haidian district was the setting for an amazing spectacle on Sunday. Over 300 crazy fishermen gathered at the reservoir to form a barrier in the water facing the 60 meter long dam in order to catch fish. Fishing nets, adhesive nets and electricity sticks were all used. Hundreds of people who were unwilling to go in water stood on the bank and cast nets downward instead.
All these crazy actions were due to the previous day’s heavy rain that made the water levels rise to the warning marker, forcing those in charge of the reservoir to open sluice gates. 900,000 artificialy bred fish came out through the sluice gates along with the rapid water. Although reservoir workers warned those fishermen to return back to the bank to avoid any accidents the fishermen persisted.
The sluice gates were opened from early in the morning to 5 pm. Several temporary little stalls were set up beside the reservoir to sell the fish. The business was surprisingly good; almost all the fish were sold out immediately.
