Shrimp, Oregon Pink
Pandalus jordani

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This cold-water shrimp species is smaller than most tropical shrimp, but its sweet taste and delicate texture have earned it a reputation for being more flavorful than its tropical relatives. The Oregon pink shrimp is one of twenty species of the Pandalid genus, most of which live in the Pacific Ocean. Currently the market for Oregon pink shrimp is concentrated on the West Coast, where the shrimp is sold to retail and food service markets.

P. jordani ranges from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to San Diego, California, and concentrates in the same well-defined areas each year. Like other Pandalid shrimp, pink shrimp are hermaphrodites; juveniles mature and breed as males during their first year and a half of life, and then later become females and breed as that sex for another year or two. Pandalid shrimp typically live four to five years, although some species may live as long as seven years. Similar to other cold-water shrimp species, Oregon pink shrimp produce fewer eggs than tropical shrimps; however, fecundity is still relatively high. Regulations such as seasonal closures afford some protection to the shrimp when they are reproducing.

CONSERVATION NOTES

Although environmental conditions are a major factor contributing to shrimp abundance, shrimp populations have been known to collapse from overfishing. Consequently, there is some reason for concern that no limits or quotas are in place to restrict catches in the Oregon pink shrimp fishery. With no real estimates of population abundance available, careful attention is required to avoid overfishing. In addition, while total bycatch is lower compared to bycatch in tropical shrimp fisheries, the unwanted catch of long-lived, highly vulnerable rockfish by shrimp trawls is a concern.

IN SEASON

• April through October

PRODUCT FORM

FROZEN: (majority of product is IQF)

• Cooked and peeled

BUYING TIPS

• Cooked and peeled shrimp can vary in quality by packing plant. Look for product produced in plants using nitrogen freezers.
• Processors often sell fresh shrimp meat ungraded, and try to off-load the smallest shrimp, reserving the higher-grade meats for freezing.
• Individually quick frozen (IQF) meat is often glazed; make sure the product is not over-glazed and buy on net weight to avoid paying for the glaze.

ASSOCIATIONS

Oregon Trawl Commission
Phone: 503-325-3384, Web Site: www.ortrawl.org, Email: info@ortrawl.org