AUBURN UNIVERSITY — As Bubba Blue famously said in "Forrest Gump," shrimp is the fruit of the sea. Whether you like it barbecued, boiled, broiled, baked or sautéed, this small creature sure makes a big impact in Alabama.

In 2022, Alabama's commercial wild-shrimp landings totaled a whopping 24.28 million pounds, with a value of more than $52 million. Taryn Garlock, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System aquatic resources specialist, said the shrimp industry is a crucial component of the state's coastal economy.

"Shrimp is by far the largest commercial fishery in Alabama and is a significant contributor to the coastal economy," Garlock said. "In recent years, 80% of the state's total commercial fisheries harvest was shrimp. Collectively, the Alabama seafood industry generated 6,971 jobs and sales impacts of $442.9 million in 2022."

WILD CAUGHT VERSUS FARM RAISED

The shrimp industry in Alabama consists of both wild caught and farm raised species. In Alabama waters, there are between 15 and 22 wild shrimp species. However, only three of these are commercially caught: brown, white and pink. On inland farms, Luke Roy, an Alabama Extension aquatic resources Extension professor, said farmers often raise Pacific white shrimp.

"Pacific white shrimp are not native to the Gulf of Mexico, and they are the species of choice by most producers," Roy said. "They are desirable because of their tolerance for low-salinity water. They also have a desirable feed conversion ratio and the ability to be cultured at high densities with low aggression."

In Alabama, the growing season for farm raised shrimp starts in May and goes through October. This period provides the optimal water temperatures for growth and survivability. Alabama produces between 200,000 and 300,000 pounds of farm raised shrimp each year. This ranks third nationally, behind only Texas and Florida. However, Alabama's farm raised industry is small relative to the millions of pounds of wild shrimp landed each year.

In commercial shrimping, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) takes great care to create a sustainable industry. For example, the state's most-productive nursery grounds are permanently closed to all shrimping. The DCNR also closes several water areas for short periods when migratory shrimp are below harvestable size. When the shrimp grow large enough, these areas reopen for shrimping.

"These measures ensure that shrimp are of legal size and enough adults escape to spawn offshore and provide the following year's harvest," Roy said.

Nationally, Garlock said approximately 80% of the shrimp consumed is farm raised, but a large portion of the shrimp consumed — approximately 85% — is imported from other countries. This increase in imported shrimp has stirred Alabama lawmakers to introduce new legislation pertaining to country-of-origin label requirements. If enacted, this legislation would require businesses to specify the origin of the food, as well as whether the shrimp are wild caught or farm raised.

EXTENSION'S SUPPORT OF THE INDUSTRY

Historically, shrimp farms in Alabama have been in Lowndes, Greene, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties. This is because of their access to low-salinity water and acceptable chloride levels. However, each year, farmers have to add fertilizers to increase potassium and magnesium concentrations in their ponds. This is one of the many areas in which Alabama Extension and Auburn University support the shrimp industry.

"Every year, the Alabama Fish Farming Center (AFFC) provides analysis of pond water samples to shrimp farmers," Roy said. "Based on the results, we provide recommendations on fertilizer applications to raise the levels of potassium and magnesium to optimal levels for shrimp production."

Located in Greensboro, the AFFC strives to connect farmers with researchers and other professionals from Alabama Extension and the Auburn School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences. In addition to fertilizer applications, these professionals provide management recommendations and technical support on a variety of other production topics.

"Alabama Extension and the AFFC provide support to shrimp farmers on things like health diagnostics, water quality analysis and feed management," Garlock said. "They also offer farmer workshops and education programs, economic analysis, marketing resources and on-farm demonstrations."

Through these on-farm demonstrations and research trials, Roy said Extension professionals have a hand in developing and sharing new production technologies and feed management strategies. For more information on the AFFC, visit https://agriculture.auburn.edu/.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on shrimp and the industry, check out the Alabama Extension publication, "Shrimp in Alabama." More information on other aquatic resources is available under the Fish and Water section of the Extension website, www.aces.edu.