What Kind of Shrimp Do We Have in SC?

Fresh SC Shrimp

In preparation for the opening of shrimp season I am going to drop some science on y’all in a three part series, starting with the most common shrimp question, “what kind of shrimp are there in South Carolina”.

Of the 2000 species of shrimp that exist in the world, the South Carolina lowcountry can lay claim to three of them, white shrimp, brown shrimp, and pink shrimp.  White Shrimp (Litopeneaus setiferus) are the most sought after by commercial fishermen and restaurants alike for their size and flavor.  They spawn in the spring (now), and are what the shrimpers will catch first (May, early June) and last (Oct. – Dec.) in the shrimping season.  Brown Shrimp (Farfantepanaeus aztecus) spawn in the fall and are what the shrimpers will be catching during the summer months.  Although smaller in size, the brown shrimp have a great flavor and are commonly used in shrimp dips, popcorn shrimp, shrimp salad, and my favorite, pickled shrimp.  Pink Shrimp (Farfantepanaeus duorarum) are the least common on the SC coast and also spawn in the spring.

Knowing which shrimp are being caught during the season can help you determine if a restaurant is really serving fresh shrimp, or lying to you (common practice, unfortunately).  White shrimp are easily identified by the green color at the end of their tail (before cooking).  If it is July, and the restaurant is claiming fresh, local shrimp, ask to see an uncooked shrimp.  If there is green on the tail, its highly doubtful that its fresh, although it may be local and frozen.  In which case, ask to see the package it came in.  It will tell you where it was caught.  If it says Thailand, I at least, will get up and walk out.  The main way the general public can help our commercial fishermen is to be educated and DEMAND to only be served local seafood.