Since the Song Dynasty, many Sanzao Islanders have tried to breed yellow-legged fish (in ancient times, they were collectively known as "herring", also known as "yellow-footed bream").

During the Guangxu period, the territory of Zhuhai was still part of Xiangshan County, an ancient county in Guangdong. It is recorded in the "Collection of Local Chronicles of Guangdong" (Xiangshan County Chronicles) that there are more than 20 kinds of fish, including Huang Liyu. All fish species are on the list, among which yellowtail fish gradually stands out due to its excellent edible value. With the evolution of history, Huangliyu also appeared in local folk songs such as "Sanzao Folk Song" and was passed down from generation to generation. The Jinwan History and Culture Series "Sanzao Folk Songs" and "Sanzao Ballads" collect folk songs and ballads from the Sanzao area since the Song Dynasty. Among them, the phrase "White Picking Lotus· Antiphon" mentions: "Spreading nets on all sides with yellow-footed leopards" , using fish as a pun to describe people. "The Ancients Singing Fish Skewers in December" also mentions that "in March, the bones of herring are forked, and the fish are missing and the fish are missing." From this, it can be seen that the fishing season for yellowtail fish has already become the ancestors of Zhuhai. They record important nodes in folk customs. In the 1980s and 1990s, local fishermen conducted experiments on high-yield cultivation of yellowtail fish in ponds and achieved success, which marked the beginning of large-scale cultivation of yellowtail fish.