December 9, 2008

Lobster-size tiger shrimp caught off SC

No, that’s not a lobster, it’s a giant Asian tiger shrimp.

When Kemp Toomer of Bluffton, S.C. caught this jumbo shrimp, his “crewman jumped back from the pile because he was scared of it,” Payne remembered with a laugh. “It was big and black and snapping. … He had never seen a shrimp that color and that size. It was new to him.”

It’s unclear exactly where the Asian tiger shrimp came from, but these record size shrimp have been caught off South Carolina over the last few weeks. Other Asian tiger shrimp sightings range from Florida to N.C., Alabama, and Louisiana.

“As far as I know, no one in this country is cultivating (them). There have been a number of (tiger) shrimp farms in the Caribbean. … With all the storms down there, one possibility is ponds have been breached and these things have gotten out.” – SCDNR marine biologist David Knott

Another possibility is that the Asian tiger shrimp is what remains from a stocked pond that accidentally released shrimp back in ’88 at the SCDNR-operated Waddell Mariculture Center in Bluffton.

SCDNR isn’t calling the lobster sized shrimp an invasive species since the Asian tiger shrimp aren’t causing harm to any other species, but then again, that’s what the Asians thought when kudzu came into America over 50 years ago.

When you have a shrimp as big as a lobster, hopefully it will give a spike to the South Carolina shrimping industry – we sure could use one!

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4 responses to 'Lobster-size tiger shrimp caught off SC'

Frank Willcox - September 8th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
9/08/ 2009 I am writing to see if there is a reason why a tidal creek in Beaufort SC has lost all of it’s shrimp, that is to say that I was used to net casting from my dock in the evenings and bringing home a decent pail of shrimp. Until about a week agonow after an of casting at low tide I an luky to bring home 5 shrimp. Is this seasonal? or something I maybe doing wrong? any ideas would help. F willcox
Charleston Native - September 8th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
That is pretty wild Frank, especially considering that shrimp season is here again.

I hope it’s just an anomaly, but I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for any more shrimp news.

Thanks!
DeLo - April 30th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
I would be more than happy to sample of that giant shrimp scampi style!
Paul - September 22nd, 2012 at 7:22 am
I’ve ate these Prawn/shrimps here in the Philippines and if u fry them up with some garlic and seven up they turn out super delicious