Description
Our spot prawns are sourced from the pristine waters off the west coast of British Columbia and are 100% wild caught. Each prawn is carefully graded onboard the vessel and then frozen at sea on the boat. This allows us to bring you the highest quality frozen product.
The BC spot prawns have a very sweet flavour and firm texture. They are a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals. Spot prawns are also the largest species of all prawns that are commercially fished on Canada’s West Coast. These attributes make them a favourite among seafood lovers.
Harvest Method: Spot prawns are commercially harvested May through June in traps deployed on longlines commonly from 50 meters to 150 meters (180 feet to 295 feet) onto the ocean’s rocky bottom. Prawn traps vary in size, can be either oblong or cylindrical in shape, and feature about 2 or 3 funnelshaped openings each. These baited traps are laid out along a bottom line with the position of the traps marked with surface buoys. In Alaska and British Columbia, prawns are harvested with traps rather than the highly destructive practice of bottom trawls used for most other shrimp species.
Method of Packing: While some prawns are harvested live and sold as fresh and live, the majority of the catch, which is destined for export, is frozen at sea and then finger packed. When finger packed, the prawns are first dipped in a sulphite solution to improve colour and storage characteristics, then individually laid into a clean, white one kilogram box. All prawns are laid in the same direction and with all antennae tucked into the box.
Storage and Shelf Life: Store frozen product at approximately -30°C (-20°F) for Sashimi Grade. -18°C for standard cold storage. Properly frozen prawns will last 24 months.
Habitat: Most commercial fishing in British Columbian waters occurs in depths of 40 meters to 100 meters (131 feet to 328 feet). In British Columbia, 65% of prawns are harvested in the inside waters of Vancouver Island.
Species Description: Spot prawns are the largest of the 7 commercial species of shrimp found in Canada’s west coast waters. The prawn’s body color is usually reddish-brown or orange with white horizontal bars on the carapace (shell) and distinctive white spots on the first and fifth abdominal segments. While large females can exceed 23 cm (9 inches) in total length, the restricted carapace (shell) size limit for harvest is 33 mm (1 1/3 inch) long.
