Shrimp - Farm Raised vs Wild Caught

[NW-Bound]

Uh Oh! "Tiny parasite threatens Georgia shrimp".

See: Black gill disease threatens Georgia shrimp.

If it's not one thing, it's 'nother!

[harley]

I don't have a problem with farm raised shrimp, as long as they are free range decapods. It's the ones that are stuck in those little cages and force fed pond scum that I object to.

[NW-Bound]

In talking with my wife some more, she said that she did not always get wild shrimp. Hmm... I guess my indiscriminate palate needs further training.

Anyway, here's some shrimp farming done in the US, Maryland in fact, by some young entrepreneurs. They said their shrimp were sashimi quality. There's also shrimp farming in Virginia and Alabama.

Maryland Indoor Shrimp Farm - America's Heartland - YouTube

And has anyone here eaten wild caught giant Asian Tiger shrimp that can be up to 1 lb?

Giant shrimp invading Louisiana coastline - YouTube

[PRSC]

Don't want to gloat but I can see the shrimp boats from my front porch here in southern South Carolina. There is nothing like fresh caught wild shrimp. To me, it tastes like a different food than the Asian stuff. Before we moved here, we used to regularly get the frozen imported shrimp at the supermarket. Now, I wouldn't touch it. We send 5 lbs of shrimp as gifts at Christmas time (frozen of course). The shipping is expensive but it is really appreciated. Christmas 2014 I should be retired so I will probably have to cut back on the Christmas list. ;-).

Of course I also like supporting the local economy if I can. The local shrimpers have a hard time competing with the imported shrimp.

[NW-Bound]

Here's another video about shrimp farming done the right way, with scientific and hygienic procedures. However, large-scale operations in the US must be rare as there is no evidence of their production in the market place.

Shrimp Farming - YouTube

[Sarah in SC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRSC Don't want to gloat but I can see the shrimp boats from my front porch here in southern South Carolina. There is nothing like fresh caught wild shrimp.

This has been my entire life. I can head shrimp faster than most people I know, DH once brought me home 50 pounds to head and freeze from a guy he know on the docks. I just about killed him, but we ate good for months. Here's some boats out of Shem Creek.

[walkinwood]

Is there a "season" for wild-caught fresh shrimp? I want to keep that in mind for our next trip to shrimp fishing areas.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkinwood Is there a "season" for wild-caught fresh shrimp?

Can one tell the difference between fresh shrimp and frozen shrimp, I wonder? Never have fresh shrimp myself.

[Sarah in SC]

This might be interesting to you, regarding the season for commercial catch:

The commercial shrimp trawling fishery has three basic seasons. The first is the so-called roe shrimp season in May or June.This season is opened when management biologists determine that an adequate supply of eggs has been spawned. The roe shrimp season is usually less than a month in duration and landings are dependent upon the severity of the previous winter. Following mild winters, heads-off landings are often 400 to 600 thousand pounds. Following severe winters, landings of roe shrimp are usually less than 50 thousand pounds and often zero.

The second season is for brown shrimp. This fishery usually begins in June and ends in August, although significant quantities of brown shrimp have been landed in October when stock abundance was very high. Good years for brown shrimp have landings of 1.3 to 2.0 million pounds (heads off).

The fall white shrimp season is typically the largest except in years following severe winters. These shrimp are the offspring of the spring spawn. Landings of youngof- the-year white shrimp by the commercial fleet usually begin in August and peak in September and October. The season usually lasts through December and into January in some years.

SCDNR - Shrimp

[walkinwood]

Thanks Sarah.
We were thinking of a road trip in early february to take a break from the long Colorado winter - maybe to the gulf coast. But - wrong time for fresh shrimp, but I'll remember it for future trips.

NW-Bound - not sure I can tell the difference, but I'd like to try. I ate fresh shrimp in abundance as a kid, but that was too long ago to remember the taste.

[Sarah in SC]

walkin, that is the season for East Coast (South Carolina), so it may be different on the gulf side. I have no idea how their shrimp season works, I only know that our oysters are AMAZINGLY better than gulf ones.
And are in season in February, as a month with an "r" in it.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC walkin, that is the season for East Coast (South Carolina), so it may be different on the gulf side. I have no idea how their shrimp season works, I only know that our oysters are AMAZINGLY better than gulf ones. And are in season in February, as a month with an "r" in it.

Restaurants here have shrimp all year-round. Prices for fresh local shrimp may be higher off season at the grocery store, but shrimp freeze well. You won't notice any difference at restaurants. Shrimp are caught fresh here from April through February but I wouldn't hesitate to order shrimp at a restaurant during any time of the year.

Sarah, I'll give you oysters (I don't eat oysters that much except in gumbo and can't tell) but Louisiana shrimp are just amazing and so plentiful everywhere here.

[NW-Bound]

I would like to be able to serve those gigantic shrimp that weigh 1/2 lb to 1 lb. Casually put them "on the barbie" and comment to my guests that "yes, these are wild caught too".

Can one eat a 1-lb shrimp? I think it would give me an indigestion. Perhaps share it with my wife? But she cannot eat even 1/2 lb.

And here, they say a tiger shrimp can be more than a foot long and weigh 1-1/2 lb! They do not grow this big in Asia, do they? Why they get so large here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLIhGQHcScY

[HFWR]

No shrimper here, but I think nearly all shrimp is "frozen" in some manner while on the boat...

[tmm99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by razztazz And yes I realize some of you are scratching your head wondering who cares! Actually this kind of thing is a life or death situation for me. I cannot tolerate a certain class of antibiotics. These antibiotics are used heavily in the raising of food animals. If I eat an animal that's been given these drugs I could react to it and croak. No dessert. Any animals I eat have to be either organic or certified as having been raised without the use of antibiotics. And I don't just trust he label. I have to check out the supplier. Seafood except for tuna and sardines are pretty much off my eatin' list because I cannot trust what I'm getting

What did you used to do before they didn't have to list anything (in regards to organic vs. conventionally grown)? Just curious. I have a friend who is allergic to varieties of antibiotics, but she seems to be OK with any food.

[Sarah in SC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR No shrimper here, but I think nearly all shrimp is "frozen" in some manner while on the boat...

They usually put it on ice, in layers, in the hold of the shrimp boat, but it is more like refrigeration than freezing. It doesn't take that long to get back to the docks here, so not like when the fishing boats go out longlining or something, and they have to put them in colder storage.

But yeah, you can freeze fresh shrimp with no damage to the taste, I think.

[NW-Bound]

All this talk about shrimp just drives me insane!

We often just steam the shrimp in shell, with it in a dish instead of boiling so that the water does not dilute out all that shrimpiness goodness. Then, we just eat it with our fingers, peeling it and dipping it in lemon juice with salt and pepper.

But right now, what I am thinking is shrimp curry served over rice. And that's next on my plate. It should look like this photo linked from FoodTV. I am salivating already.

[walkinwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound All this talk about shrimp just drives me insane! We often just steam the shrimp in shell, with it in a dish instead of boiling so that the water does not dilute out all that shrimpiness goodness. Then, we just eat it with our fingers, peeling it and dipping it in lemon juice with salt and pepper. But right now, what I am thinking is shrimp curry served over rice. And that's next on my plate. It should look like this photo linked from FoodTV. I am salivating already.

Got to me too! I'm making shrimp in a lemon butter sauce over pasta.

I love shrimp curry - especially a coconut curry.. ah... now, I'm going to have to make that later this week.

[NW-Bound]

Just to think one can get such simple pleasures in life without having to spend a whole lot.

And yes, I enjoy cooking food just as much as eating it.

[48Fire]

Shrimpin' for your own shrimp is fun too!