Common Name	Brown Shrimp	Conservation Notes
Scientific Name	(Farfante)Penaeus aztecus	Sustainability Information
Market Names	Shrimp	Buying Tips
Sushi Name	Ebi	Health/Nutrition

BROWN SHRIMP MARKET ALERT - updated June 2011

The brown shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Mexico is off to a good start this year, as some inshore fisheries opened in late May, a few weeks earlier than normal. In spite of lingering concerns over the impact of last spring’s BP oil spill (59% of respondents in a recent USA Today poll said they would not eat Gulf seafood) shrimpers were optimistic they would have a good year due to strong shrimp prices.

Through the end of April, shrimp landings in the Gulf were about 12.5 million pounds, the second highest level in the past 5 years. Last year, Gulf shrimpers landed a total of 96 million pounds of shrimp (heads-off weight), down 27% from the year before, as many Gulf boats had more lucrative contracts with BP to help clean up the spill. Although, species composition varies year-to-year, browns typically account for 55-60% of the Gulf catch. Brown catches will really pick up in mid-July, when Texas opens its inshore waters to shrimpers. (Unlike other Gulf states, Texas closes state waters for about two months to let inshore shrimp grow larger and more valuable. As a result, Texas normally accounts for almost half of the total U.S. brown shrimp catch.)

With many Asian shrimp farmers having production problems due to weather and disease-related  issues, prices for Gulf browns have jumped considerably. This year, Gulf shrimpers have been getting an average of $5.05/lb. for 21/25 brown shell-on tails, compared to $4.50/lb. last year and $4.20/lb. in 2009.   At the wholesale level, distributors have been paying about $6.50/lb. Better buys on browns will likely come in September and October right after seasonal landings peak. Processors, who have to pay fishermen as soon as they land their catch, are usually anxious to move inventory at that time as their credit lines are normally maxed out, especially with prices at these high levels.

Conservation Notes

 
Advantages: Brown shrimp is caught commercially along the southeastern U.S. from North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico. These shrimp are highly fecund, which allows them to reproduce quickly and thus they are resilient to fishing pressure. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, brown shrimp populations are currently healthy and harvested at sustainable levels. U.S. shrimpers are also required to use bycatch reduction devices and compliance is good.

Challenges: Environmental conditions such as salinity and substrate levels can have a negative impact on brown shrimp abundance in the southeastern and gulf states. Shrimp trawling is known to harm marine organisms, damage the seafloor, disturb sediment, lower sea grass production, and cause an increase in algal blooms. According to the Blue Ocean Institute, thousands of sea turtles are caught in shrimp trawls annually in the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Since shrimping trawlers interact with sea turtles so much that they are required to have turtle extruder devices, but compliance is not at 100 percent yet. The brown shrimp fishery is one of the main causes of mortality in Gulf of Mexico red snapper, which has been overfished for decades. Commercial fisheries are working on reducing this impact through time-area closures and bycatch reduction devices. 

Sustainability Information

	Seafood Watch	SeaChoice	FishWise	Blue Ocean Institute	New England Aquarium	Marine Stewardship Council
U.S. South Atlantic, U.S. Gulf of Mexico Wild-caught	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Yellow
International Wild-caught	Avoid	Avoid	Avoid	Red

Rating Explanation

Seafood Watch and Blue Ocean Institute both evaluate brown shrimp in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and U.S. South Atlantic in single assessments.

Buying Tips

• Most U.S. brown shrimp are caught between May and August, and are usually available frozen as tail meat year-round
• Brown shrimp is low in saturated fat and is a very good source of selenium and vitamin B12
• Random tests are recommended to ensure that the shrimp that arrives is actually what was ordered
• Peeled brown shrimp may be treated with sodium tripolyphosphate to add moisture, but too much will make the shrimp appear translucent and give them a soapy feel
• Many fishermen prevent black spots on shells by using bisodium sulfates but overuse causes pitting on the shells

Nutrition and Health

Acknowledgements

• Seafood Watch by Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Blue Ocean Institute
• SeaChoice
• Seafood Choices Alliance
• Environmental Defense Fund
• NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service