By CATHERINE DONNELLY
Special to the PRESS
The Black Tiger Prawn (BTP), native to the Indian Ocean, is a sweet tasting but controversial delicacy as they are considered an invasive species that threaten the white, pink, and brown native shrimp found in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
According to fishgame.com, BTP (Penaeus monodon) or tiger shrimp can grow to weigh more than a pound. The BTP is considered an aggressive crustacean that can grow to a foot in length according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute. Its sheer size difference gives it a great advantage over native species in the shrimp ecosystem.
This species can be pretty easily recognized by size and color, being larger and darker when compared to native Gulf of Mexico species. You can identify them by their black stripes on the tail and orange stripes on their back, like a tiger.
Tiger prawns prefer warm water and have been found in the gulf from Texas to Florida, and up the Atlantic coast as far as North Carolina. Farming of the invasive tiger prawn, however, is strictly prohibited in the state of Texas for the protection of our ecosystem and domestic shrimping industry.
The Texas Invasive Species Institute officials said, “The tiger prawn was accidentally released from a research facility near South Carolina in 1988, allowing the shrimp to spread [and is a] popular shrimp raised in farms in the Caribbean.”
Native shrimp species are at risk of contracting diseases that the BTP carries, resulting in further mortality of native populations. The BTP is susceptible to 16 diseases that they can pass on to the native shrimp, but not to humans, according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute website. Disease and predation from the invasive tiger prawn can have a devastating effect on native shrimp harvesting, causing an economic loss for shrimp fishermen.
Texas Invasive Species Institute mentions the way to properly manage this invasion, first way is by local Gulf Coast authorities urging fishermen to report any unusual shrimp catches. Second, it’s very important to not throw back any BTP that are caught and identified. Way in which to prevent the tiger shrimp from establishing themselves in our gulf, it’s highly encouraged to catch, sell, or eat the invasive tiger prawn.
Tiger shrimp yields a high value with its large size and sweet taste.
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