Argentine red shrimp, long misunderstood in the US, could finally get its due

Argentine red shrimp is just a little bit of education and an improved supply chain away from becoming a staple species, according to Matthew Fass.

Fass, the president of Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A.-based seafood company Maritime Products International, said the fishery developed significantly over the last decade. However, misunderstandings about the product and lingering challenges with its supply chain are still holding it back, Fass said at the National Fisheries Institute Global Seafood Market Conference, held from 15 to 19 January in La Quinta, California, U.S.A.

“One thing about the Argentine red shrimp is it has to be one of the most-misunderstood seafood species, I would argue, in the category,” Fass said. “Which is what makes all this exciting.”

The fishery, he said, has been around for a long time, but only really began coming into its own in the U.S. recently, following an effort to improve its supply chain and the launch of a fishery improvement project to improve its environmental bona fides.

However, according to Fass, the species is still misunderstood by many potential buyers, holding it back from reaching its potential ... 

Photo courtesy of Luis César Tejo/Shutterstock