Icehouse in Dandong, Liaoning Province (Photo: QQ.Com)

A total of 5,000 tons of ice excavated last winter in Dandong, Liaoning province, has been left in an icehouse to melt, as demand for ice to keep seafood fresh plunged due to a fishing moratorium in the area.

“If we fail to find a buyer soon, there will be very little ice left after a scorching summer,” said Yu, head of the ice workers. "We invested over 500,000 RMB, yet now we have no choice but to leave the ice to melt, suffering a great loss.”

Ice excavation (Photo: QQ.Com)

He added, “In the same period of time in the past, we had already sold half our stock. That meant we could at least turn a profit.”

Fishing boats (Photo: QQ.Com)

The ice is usually purchased by seafood dealers to keep fish and shellfish fresh. This year, a fishing moratorium was implemented on May 1, but many small fishing boat operators have voluntarily suspended their operations since last December.

Yu's first transaction after Spring Festival was only for 15 tons of ice, and the money earned from that transaction could barely cover the workers’ salaries.