Pandalus platyceros, commonly known as the Spot Prawn (or Spot Shrimp), is considered a shrimp as it is of the Infraorder Caridea.[2][1] Spot Prawns are sometimes referred to by a regionally qualified name such as a BC Spot Prawn,[3] California Spot Prawn,[4] and Alaskan Prawn[5] among others.[6]
The Spot Prawn ranges throughout the northern Pacific Ocean,[7] (Unalaska Island, Alaska to San Diego, California), and also from the Sea of Japan to Korea Strait.[8][9] While found in depths of 3.7 meters to 457.2 meters, Spot Prawn are most often found around 109.7 meters below sea level.[10]
Description
Spot Prawn reach up to 27 centimeters in length, with females often longer than their male counterparts. Spot Prawn have a translucent, reddish carapace with white stripes and pereopods and antennae which are banded dark and light red.[11] Their first and fifth abdominal segments have white spots.[10]
They are protandric hermaphrodites, meaning they first turn into males, with their appendix masculina lengthening while maturing and then gradually shortening until they turn into females.[12]
Fishing Harvests
Spot Prawn harvests are relatively short lasting only 6-8 weeks from May to June. The season opens in the Spring because it is the new lifecycle for Spot Prawns.[13]
The largest Spot Prawn harvests occur in British Columbia, Canada where approximately 2,450 metric tonnes are harvested annually, with about 65% of the harvest coming from the waters between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland.[14] BC Spot Prawns are considered sustainable having been recognized by the Vancouver Aquarium’s OceanWise program and as a “Good Alternative” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.[15]
The largest US harvests occur in Alaska which limits annual harvest to under 800,000 lbs (Approximately 363 tonnes).[16] The majority of the continental US landings occur in southern California, though fishing activity extends north to the Oregon border.[17] California produced approximately 100 metric tonnes annually.[18]
Spot Prawns are renowned around the world for their flavour, freshness, and quality. Their meat has a sweet delicate flavour and firm texture.[19] They are often sold in Japan as 'Botan Ebi' despite not being one of the 2 traditional domestic shrimp (Toyama ebi and Humpback Shrimp). This is because the Spot Prawn is a close relative of domestic Botan ebi and they can only be told apart by examining the head closely. Furthermore, one does not taste better than the other.[20]
↑ "Spot Prawn". California Sea Grant. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
↑ Levy, T.; Tamone, S. L.; Manor, R.; Bower, E. D.; Sagi, A. (2020), ""The protandric life history of the Northern spot shrimp Pandalus platyceros: molecular insights and implications for fishery management"", Scientific Reports, 10 (1): 1287, Bibcode:2020NatSR..10.1287L, doi:10.1038/s41598-020-58262-6, PMC6987223, PMID31992795
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