Giant Asian tiger prawn invade Gulf waters

(CBS News) DULAC, La. - Shrimping season opened Monday off Louisiana and fishermen can't get over what they're now finding in their nets. Some say the coastline is under invasion. The giant invaders are valuable, but may be destroying the Gulf ecosystem.

From Texas to North Carolina, fishermen have been catching giant shrimp, big enough to stretch across a 12-inch dinner plate.

Shrimp captain James Mason has fished Louisiana's coast for 44 years.

But he had never caught one of these until last April, when he netted seven in one month.

"I didn't know what to think," Mason said. "We dumped the net and that popped out on top and I said, 'My god what a big old shrimp.'"

Mason has sold a few for top dollar.

"That's the most expensive shrimp I've ever sold in my life," he said. "Eight dollars apiece."

If Mason could sell every shrimp for eight bucks he wouldn't be shrimping for very long

"No, you could retire real quick, real quick," he said.

The Asian tiger prawn, native to the western Pacific, is edible but worrisome -- an invasive species in waters off the southeastern United States.

The U.S. Geological Survey says they may have escaped from Caribbean aqua-culture farms, or from the water tanks of passing ships.

The first few were spotted in 2005, but between 2010 and 2011, the number caught off the Gulf and Atlantic coasts spiked from 32 to 569.

Kim Chauvin, a fourth-generation seafood wholesaler, weighed one that was three-quarters of a pound.

The size is astounding, but the arrival of the creatures gives even a seafood seller pause.

"That's the worrisome part," Chauvin said, "because you're wondering what the feeding part is. You're going, 'Wow, how much does it eat in one day?'"

Asian tiger prawns have voracious appetites, and feed on crabs, mollusks and smaller shrimp. They reproduce at three times the rate of native Gulf shrimp. Each female can produce 1.5 million eggs a year.

Chauvin and some marine ecologists worry that they could eat through native habitats.

"It's the unknown, the fear of the unknown. Cause in our industry you need to know what's going on all the time just for the ecosystem," Chauvin said.

Fishermen have collected another 50 Asian tiger prawn caught this year for federal researchers to study. They're all trying to decide whether these giant shrimp are a new threat, or a new market.

[mxp5769]

just tell me where I can get some to grill... a little butter, some lemon & wooo hooooo!!!

[retiredtexan]

These new shrimp are part of the "DREAM ACT" You can not deport them and they are available for Government loans and schooling. You can not eat them, as that would violate there civil rights. Uhmmmm....as their numbers are less than 1000 they are also protected under the "Protected species act" Even saying the word "Butter" is a Hate Crime and is punishable up to life imprisoment

[Jhihmoac]

Ecosystem, or wallet?

No brainer...

Now where's the butter sauce?

[BWB2020]

Big and delicious, fried in butter sauce. I eat them all the time in Singapore, Bali, in fact they are served in all equatorial eastern countries.

At least the ones in Asia are, I don't remember seeing black ones like the photo though, maybe something to do with all the oil spills.

[BWB2020]

Big and delicious, fried in butter sauce. I eat them all the time in Singapore, Bali, in fact they are served in all equatorial eastern countries.

At least the ones in Asia are, I don't remember seeing black ones like the photo though, maybe something to do with all the oil spills.

[misc0999]

From 1992 story, "Texas shrimp farms harvest a jumbo dilemma : The new industry brings needed jobs, but it also threatens an established shrimping business." http://articles.latimes.com/1992-03-09/news/mn-2555_1_shrimp-farm

[Harry1899]

This article assumes that ALL invasive species are bad. I'll concede that most such as the English House Sparrow, Spiny waterflea, European milfoil and Zebra mussels have been environmental disasters. Sometimes, however, an invasive species is a great addition to the environment. The ringnecked pheasant is an example - brought from China in the late 1800s. These big prawns are delicious. My guess is that they will be a valuable addition to the Gulf economy and ecosystem when all is said and done.

[Well_You_Aint_Me]

Well at $8 per shrimp, if they ruin the ecosystem for the other smaller shrimp, let me see here, a 6-shrimp cocktail will cost roughly $75 or so after processing, cooking, profit. Hmmm, that is a deal for you.

These shrimp were likely smuggled in by Viet Namese shrimpers who were dissatisfied with the size of the local shrimp.

[lillyhorton]

You forgot to mention starlings and snails.

[signseeker1717]

They are called "invasive" species for a reason; they impact indigenous species. There are indications the Asian Tiger prawn is much more than some benign "addition" to the Gulf ecosystem. Its presence is more ominous.

A species with a voracious appetite that feeds on native species that are valuable food items in their own right (crabs, mollusks and smaller shrimp) AND reproduces at three times the rate of Native gulf shrimp, is much more than just a new neighbor on the block.

Aside from a potentially profound impact on biodiversity and disruption of the delicate balance of the existing Gulf ecosystem, I don't think we'd like our shellfish choices reduced to ONE big prawn, no matter how tasty.

[Paul209999]

I would say the most destructive would be the Burmese Python...sctientist just caught an 18 foot python with 81 eggs in her!! Ummm 18 foot will be causing some serious damage to ecosystems.

[maiingan]

CBS employees should not have used the word "shrimp" to refer to these prawns. These words are not synonymous; I looked up the taxonomy. These groups of species are separate, surely not close enough to hybridize. Aside from this, it's a disturbing story, and I think one weapon in the necessary fight to get rid of them here is to declare open season on them. Let people eat them up and enjoy it.

[ScorpioJax66]

Most of the so called shrimp caught off the U.S. Atlantic coast or in the Gulf of Mexico are actually prawns. Almost all the shrimp sold in restaurants in the U.S. are also prawns. Worldwide the terms prawns and shrimp are interchangeable when referring to food stock. In England and other Commonwealth nations Shrimp and prawns are listed on menus as prawns. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations uses the term shrimp to cover all shrimp and prawns varieties. You are trying to be a show off know it all but your lack of actual research, just makes you look small minded and ignorant.

[rwsmith29456]

Is there any species from China that is NOT invasive??

[w_roos]

How bout communist party political ideology? Doesn't seem to be faring too well these days.

[BigMykul]

Being Cajun by birth, I see some changes to gumbo.

[Well_You_Aint_Me]

Now if we could just get bigger crayfish.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!