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Florida Seafood
Florida is known for its outstanding seafood. Popular Florida seafood includes wild caught shrimp, rock (spiny) lobsters, crabs, clams and other shellfish. Popular florida saltwater fish include red snapper, several types of grouper, mahi mahi, king mackerel, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, Spanish mackerel, Florida pompano, mullet and other fish.
Shrimp
Florida shrimp include white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus), pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum). All three species are harvested from wild stocks, with the highest landings traditionally coming from Florida's Gulf Coast. Shrimp from Florida are available fresh or frozen, head-on or head-off, cooked or uncooked.
Spiny Lobsters
Spiny lobsters (rock lobsters) are crustaceans related to crabs, shrimp, crayfish and the Spanish lobster. Rock lobsters produce white meat that is mild with and slightly sweet. It is low in calories and high in protein. Normally, spiny lobsters are either purchased whole or tail only. Plan on about one pound per serving.
Stone Crabs
The majority of Florida stone crab claws are commercially harvested off the southern tip of Florida from Sarasota to Fort Lauderdale. Stone crabs are caught in traps and only the claws that meet a regulated size are taken. The live stone crabs are then returned to the water where they regenerate new claws in about 18 months. The fresh claws are cooked immediately after harvest and sold fresh-cooked or frozen in seafood markets.
Hard Clams
Two hard clam species occur in Florida waters. The northern hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) is the most commonly harvested of the two species. It is found from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. The southern hard clam, (Mercenaria campechiensis) occurs from New Jersey to the U.S. Gulf States, replacing the northern hard clam in certain areas of the Gulf Coast.
Related Links
Wild American Shrimp