Enormous Shrimp Invade The Texas Gulf Coast

Get our free mobile app

• Aggressive jumbo shrimp that weigh in at more than a pound each invade the Gulf of Mexico.
• Black Tiger Prawn (Penaeus monodon) or Tiger Shrimp can grow up to a foot in length.
• You can identify this species by looking at its black stripes on the tail and orange stripes on its back, like a tiger.

Native species of shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico like the brown, white, and pink shrimp are up against a huge predator. The Black Tiger Prawn or "tiger shrimp" are massive in comparison and will eat these smaller shrimp. They compete for the same food causing big issues in our shrimping industries in Texas.

According to fishgame.com the tiger prawn was released accidentally from a research facility in South Carolina back in 1988. They spread as far as Florida by 1990, and since then there have been hundreds of reports of them in the Texas Gulf.

These cannibalistic shrimp have been an issue now for years in the Gulf of Mexico. Since before 2011, shrimpers have been asked not to release any of the tiger shrimp that they catch.

Are Black Tiger Shrimp Caught In Texas Good To Eat? 

Many Caribbean facilities farm Black Tiger Prawns and that could be another reason they are here. Their large size lends them a greater value, and reportedly the meat has a sweet taste.

Some say they are good to eat, and others don't care for them at all. Local farming of the invasive species is currently prohibited by the State of Texas.

Take a free boat ride in the Gulf of Mexico to save money and buy more shrimp.