Feared by some for its ghostly appearance and toxic tentacles, and loved by others as a tasty treat, the jellyfish is generating currents of wealth for a city in Northeast China.

Fishermen in Yingkou, Liaoning Province, have conquered concerns about the marine creature’s toxic tentacles and frightening image to bring it to a growing number of dinner tables in China and overseas.

The complex processing of jellyfish, which importantly involves removing the toxins, has laid the foundation for the industry to prosper in Yingkou. Yingkou has more than 300 processing companies, family workshops and cooperatives employing around 50,000 people in jellyfish-related work.

Each year the city produces on average 236,000 tons of processed jellyfish, with about 81 percent of the raw material coming from outside the city. The total output value of jellyfish processing is approximately 3 billion yuan ($413 million), data from local authorities showed.

Yingkou exports about 12,000 tons of jellyfish to 33 countries and regions annually, mainly to Japan, South Korea, the United States, and European countries. In 2014, Yingkou Jellyfish was recognized as a national geographical indication product, and a top 10 fishery brand of Liaoning.