Shrimp, Royal Red
Unlike imported shrimp, wild-caught U.S. shrimp is unlikely to contain the drugs and chemicals that are used heavily on many foreign shrimp farms. The royal red shrimp fishery operates in deep waters, as far as 40 to 60 miles offshore. The taste of this shrimp has been compared to lobster, and is a local delicacy in the Gulf. Like other wild shrimp, royal reds are caught with trawls, which can damage seafloor and result in large amounts of bycatch (catch of non-target species). Most royal reds prefer cold, deep and muddy or sandy seafloor areas. Although royal reds live at least three years – two years longer than white, brown, and pink shrimp in the area – they are still relatively short-lived and reproduce quickly. The Gulf Council’s management plan has defined a total allowable catch for royal reds to prevent overfishing, and royal red shrimp is not considered to be overfished.
