Shrimp, Pacific Bay
Unlike imported shrimp, wild-caught U.S. shrimp is unlikely to contain the drugs and chemicals that are used heavily on many international shrimp farms. The small-sized bay shrimp is the most common shrimp found in Pacific coast estuaries from San Francisco to the Puget Sound; they can also be found south to San Diego. Today, the bay shrimp is fished commercially only in San Francisco, where it is caught primarily as bait, but is also suited for human consumption. Although the species is sensitive to pollution and alteration of estuary habitat, the shrimp’s short life cycle and quick reproduction rate means that overfishing is not a major concern.
