T H R O W A N O T H E R S H R I M P
on the skillet!
FLAVORFUL AND UNIQUE SHRIMP RECIPES
B Y F R I T T S C A U S B Y
savor
For those who were raised at the coast or had the opportunity
to visit on a regular basis, the summertime is likely to conjure
memories of a fresh shrimp cocktail or fried popcorn shrimp,
especially in Brunswick County. A partial explanation for this is
that, traditionally, the only time local shrimp could be harvested
was in summer or fall.
Three main types of shrimp are caught in North Carolina:
pink, white and brown. Brown shrimp are by far the most
common,
accounting for
nearly 70 percent
of the total catch.
As with the
other varieties,
brown shrimp
are spawned in
the ocean and
then carried by
the winds and
tides into coastal
estuaries, where
they are primar-ily
harvested by
trawlers.
The first
recorded instance
of shrimp trawl-ing
dates to 1376,
when the king of
England received
a written request
asking to ban the
practice due to its
destructiveness.
Similarly, the
Dutch banned
shrimp trawling
in coastal estuar-ies
in 1583.
Modern criticisms of shrimp trawling, which involves towing
a large net along the bottom of the seafloor, cite the significant
amount of bycatch, the incidental catch rate of other species.
Though shrimp trawling accounts for approximately 2 percent of
the weight of fish caught worldwide on an annual basis, the practice
is responsible for a third of the yearly bycatch.
There is a seemingly endless, insatiable demand for these tasty
crustaceans. They are valued as a dietary staple, not only for people
but also for crabs,
sea urchins,
sharks, seahorses,
dolphins, whales
and seabirds. As
a response to the
demand, shrimp
farming took
root in the 1970s,
outpacing produc-tion
from shrimp
trawling by 2007.
It may seem
obvious that
shrimp farm-ing
eliminates
the problem of
bycatch, but
as with many
systems created
by man, it has
produced unin-tended,
negative
consequences.
Most of these
stem from chemi-cals,
organic waste
and antibiotics
seeping into
groundwater and
coastal estuaries.
NEW ORLEANS
B A R B E C U E S H R I M P
This dish is very tasty when prepared in a cast iron skillet. Start by tossing peeled
shrimp with paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt and a bit of sugar. Next, melt
five tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Keep the heat low to medium while
adding minced garlic and continue until the shrimp are almost done. Add some
lemon juice or chunks, Worcestershire sauce and water. When the shrimp is done,
add thinly sliced green onions and serve over rice.
58 may 2022
WBM