"Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. There's, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich..."

Most shrimp spawn offshore in deep water from early spring through early fall. One female shrimp releases 100,000 to 1,000,000 eggs that hatch within 24 hours. Young shrimp are carried by currents into coastal estuaries to mature. By the time the young shrimp (postlarvae) reach the gulf passes and enter the bays, they are one-fourth inch long, transparent and have a shrimp-like appearance In the Gulf, shrimp are harvested with trawls which are cone-shaped nets towed along the bottom in waters near shore. Turtle excluder devices (TEDS) and by-catch reduction devices (BRDS) are used, as required by law, to minimize the capture of non-target marine turtles and fish.

Before Gulf shrimpers found out about trawling, they used long seines set close to shore and hauled by men or horses. Shrimp fishing was worthwhile only when white shrimp were abundant near the shore. By the 1940's, however, shrimp trawlers were a common sight at Gulf coast ports.

Once shrimpers were equipped with trawls, they could fish the dense shrimp stocks in deeper bay waters and the Gulf of Mexico. Improvements in transportation and refrigeration accompanied the growth of the shrimp trawl fishery and new markets opened. Today the modern Gulf trawler is a large, well-equipped seagoing vessel that can tow two or more large trawls at the same time.

Shrimp are sized and sold by count (number of shrimp per pound) either whole or headless. For example, headless shrimp of 16-20 count means there are 16 to 20 headless shrimp per pound. Counts for headless shrimp range from under 10 (the largest shrimp) to 300-500 (teeny tiny).

Shrimp are decapod crustaceans characterized by five pairs of legs, often with small pincers on the end. The first three pairs are used for walking. The head spine, walking legs and antennae are attached to the head section, while the edible portion (the "tail") bears the swimming legs and tail fan. They have large, well-developed eyes, and long antennae. Pink shrimp can vary in color from brown, yellowish, or pink. White shrimp are grayish-white with a green, red or blue tinge on the tail and legs. Royal red shrimp are usually deep red but are sometimes grayish pink. It sometimes takes an expert to tell shrimp species apart.

Many species of shrimp lead a dual life, spending the first part of their time inshore and the remainder in the open ocean. Hatched at sea, juvenile shrimp spend the early part of their lives as drifting oceanic plankton. Within 2 weeks after hatching, young shrimp become active swimmers. They instinctively move toward shore, navigating through inlets and into shallow estuarine nursery areas.  The shrimp increase in size very rapidly, especially when water temperatures are warm. As the shrimp grow, they move gradually seaward, presumably in response to salinity. Near spawning time, adult shrimp move out of estuarine waters in large numbers (called "runs"), heading for inlets in order to return to the ocean to spawn.

Shrimpers eager to harvest them beginning when the shrimp are two to four months old and this continues for the rest of their lives--the shrimp that is ! If not caught by anglers or eaten by fish, they may live to be two years old. To grow, shrimp must cast off their shell and form another. They get larger before the new shell becomes firm. Shrimp grow rapidly when the water is 68 degrees F and above. If bay water temperatures fall below 60 degrees F, shrimp growth is much slower and at temperatures below 40 degrees F mortalities may occur.

Those special Royal Reds

Royal Reds move up and down the continental shelf, preferring a specific temperature zone that is usually found around the 200-fathom curve (2400 feet deep). That can be 40-60 miles out from shore. Royal Red shrimpers work just inside the strongest flowing currents of the Gulfstream, enduring tides that average 3-5 knots. Royal Reds are also found about 100 miles west of Key West, as well as below the mouth of the Mississippi River. Fuel bills, naturally, for Royal Red shrimpers are much higher than those of inshore fishermen.

Adding risk, Royal Redders fish in major shipping lanes, continually dodging freighters as they work. The end product of their  efforts has a unique taste and tender texture that you won't find in any other shrimp. Royal Reds are frozen onboard the ships and contain more salt than other shrimp so do not add salt to the water when you boil Royal Reds.

Annual Events

Some traditions were born under unique circumstances, like tossing a mullet or testing your polar bear skin with a winter dip in the Gulf of Mexico. Annual events, like these and many others, have proven to be the favorites of locals and vacationers alike.

We let the good times roll in February and March with our seaside Mardi Gras celebration. In April, we kick off the opening of Red Snapper season with the Orange Beach Red Snapper World Championship.

Then in May become a wine connoisseur during the Southern Breeze Wine and Culinary Festival. Vendors serve succulent treats and beverages under a lush canopy of oaks, making it a weekend full of relaxed Southern charm.

August holds the promise of speed and adrenaline with the Thunder on the Gulf Power Boat Races.

Transition into fall with the National Shrimp Festival in October and tap your toes to the tunes of the Frank Brown International Songwriters' Festival in November.