The growth of this particular style of aquaculture can be traced back to the Qing dynasty-the mid 1800s, to be more specific. This was Taiwan's first really prosperous time, and cross-strait trade was commonplace. Traders from Chaozhou and Shantou on the mainland would often travel to Taiwan to buy rice and tea, bringing along with them fish from their home areas.
魚苗寮的發展史得追溯至清朝年間，台灣一府二鹿三艋舺的繁華年代，兩岸商賈往來頻繁，當時中國潮州、汕頭地區的船隻來台購買白米和茶葉時，也會順道帶來些當地的魚苗。