Shrimping season gets underway in Galveston

It's lunchtime at Boulevard Seafood in Galveston. Chef Chris Lopez is whipping up Shrimp and Grits. They serve a lot of shrimp dishes here.

"45-50 percent. I like to use a  lot of products from the gulf. I've been a chef in the Northwest and  in Atlanta and I'm a big fan of using product from the area." he says.

Fewer foods from the Gulf have a bigger fan base than shrimp. Americans eat over four pounds per capita, according to NOAA.  Mike Orange might actually skew those numbers.

"I grew up down here and go to lunch with various people. Usually as an appetizer. Some way shape or form I have shrimp 3-4 times a week." he says wile devouring Chef Lopez's creation.

Ever wonder how those shrimp make it from the Gulf to the plate? We are at the beginning of shrimping season right now. On July 15th many of the shrimp boats set out.  They will be out for weeks and then return with their catches they've kept preserved in their holds.  Texas shrimpers have to meet strict standards to ensure sustainability. Their nets must have TEDs, Turtle Exclusion Devices that allow netted turtles to escape. 

90 percent of white shrimp and ninety-seven percent of brown shrimp we eat comes from the gulf. A lot of those shrimp end up at Galveston Shrimp Company.

Nello Cassarino showed me around. His company started looking into tracking technology seven years ago. Three years ago they got it perfected. The shrimp come in and are automatically sorted by size, the heads are removed, and then they are frozen. The next step is the automatic bagger. There are UPC codes on all the tubs.  That way the shrimp are tracked from the dock to their ultimate destination.

"So we actually isolate the product being processed in this line. So if you call me tomorrow I can tell you where that's from. The whole history of that shrimp. What boat it's from. How long it was there. I can tell you any issues with that product line." he says.

Good information to have it  they need to recall some product. The whole process takes just a few hours and tons of ice.  They have to move quickly. The product is perishable, but it appears that our appetite for shrimp is not.