You may be surprised to learn about how shrimp is caught, and how it gets to your table. Once you know the facts, there’s no comparison. We created the NaturalShrimp process to create delicious, healthy, eco-friendly shrimp. One bite and you’ll agree.
| NaturalShrimp process | Caught in the Ocean | Low-tech Shrimp Farms |
| Process: Shrimp harvested in controlled, contained environment | Process: Nets and pots used to dredge shrimp from the ocean | Process: Shrimp farms set up in shallow waters in ocean/gulf areas |
| Harvested in San Antonio Texas | 75% of the world’s shrimp comes from southeast Asia, even if it is called “Gulf” Shrimp. India is the largest exporter of caught shrimp | Mainly present in southeast Asia |
| No negative environmental impact due to manmade aquaculture | Depletes estuaries in oceans, harming the environment Could harm area fish considered “waste” by shrimpers Takes up to 350 gallons of diesel per night to fish, polluting the ocean |
Alters the natural flow of rivers and natural habitat loss Destruction of coastal wetlands and mangroves Hinders the natural flow of sediment Ponds must be drained to harvest the shrimp, stealing nutrients from the soil |
| Not possible to overfish | Hazard of overfishing, limited supply | Non-target fish caught are discarded, endangering other species |
| Available all year, harvested 52 weeks a year | Fishing season dependent on shrimp migration and weather conditions, usually limited to spring and fall | Season dependent on environmental conditions, usually lasts 7 months |
| Never frozen | Usually frozen on the boat or shortly after boat is docked | Frozen after harvested |
| Water filtration eliminates harmful shrimp waste | Shrimp swims and is caught and confined with its own waste | Shrimp swims and is caught and confined with its own waste |
| Pristine conditions never expose shrimp to chemicals | May be dipped in sodium bisulfate to retard bacteria growth and keep it “fresh” longer (results in what some refer to as an “iodine” aftertaste) Ocean can be polluted with chemicals |
May be dipped in sodium bisulfate to retard bacteria growth and keep it “fresh” longer (results in what some refer to as an “iodine” aftertaste) Ocean can be polluted with chemicals Fertilizers, calcium, zeolites, antibiotics and other chemicals used in many farms |
| No aftertaste or “iodine” smell | Shrimp creates bromine (which has a smell that people attribute to an “iodine aftertaste”). Bromine levels depend on what the shrimp has eaten, which cannot be easily regulated in the ocean “Iodine” smell more prevalent in ocean shrimp |
Shrimp creates bromine (which has a smell that people attribute to an “iodine aftertaste”). Bromine levels depend on what the shrimp has eaten, which cannot be easily regulated in the ocean, even in a shrimp farm |
| Available for purchase within 24 hours of capture Shrimp at Shrimp Station is always less than three days old |
Boats sometimes go out for up to 10 days at a time, then the shrimp must be processed and shipped/delivered to stores Shrimp from foreign locales can take weeks to get to stores Stores will keep shrimp until it is visibly unacceptable to sell. It is almost impossible to tell how old shrimp is, even the first day it reaches the store |
Freshness depends on where the shrimp was harvested. Most shrimp is harvested in southeast Asia, so travel can take several days before it gets to your local store |
| Fresh, sweet taste with crisp “bite” | Taste depends on what the shrimp has eaten, can be inconsistent | Often bland taste |
| Carefully monitored water, food, and filtration keep shrimp disease-free | No safeguard against disease in ocean or once shrimp hits the boat | Disease, infections and parasites spread quickly through a confined population |
| Feeding carefully regulated to avoid overfeeding | No safeguards possible | Biggest source of water quality degradation comes from overfeeding Farmers often don’t know the quantity of shrimp so overfeeding is common |
| NaturalShrimp farms will be located near major metropolitan areas | Only available in the ocean | Must be located in the ocean |
Sources: World Wildlife Fund, U.S. Marine Shrimp Farming Program, Public Citizen, GlobeFish.
