Protosalanx chinensis is an annual fish distributed in the coastline, estuaries, and rivers of the Yellow Sea, Boahi Sea, and East China Sea. P. chinensis natural populations decreased due to overfishing, habitat fragmentation, and environmental pollution of the spawning grounds. In recent years, due to its high commercial value in China, P. chinensis began to be transplanted in lakes and reservoirs all over China, and its culture became popular. However, being an ecological generalist, P. chinensis has become an invasive species in some Asian rivers. It is exported to Japan, Hong Kong, and South East Asia. Research on this species has increased in the past decade. However, still little is known about its home and depth range in the wild, its migration patterns, and natural aggregation. There is also very little English information available about its culture conditions, and more research needs to be done regarding feeding, and stunning and slaughter techniques.
