Why to choose wild American shrimp over farm-raised shrimp

September 28, 2021 at 7:00 AM
A dish of wild American shrimp.

When deciding between wild American shrimp and farm-raised alternatives, the benefits are clear. While farm-raised shrimp are typically cheaper, the price is a moot point when considering the litany of benefits associated with purchasing wild American shrimp. At Tommy’s Seafood, we’ve been the leading seafood processor in New Orleans since 1982. We pride ourselves on quality, which our innovative freezing process guarantees.

Here’s why to choose wild American shrimp:

Higher quality

One reason to choose wild American shrimp over farm-raised shrimp is superior quality. The primary reason for this is that wild-caught shrimp consume fresh, natural diets.

Farm-raised shrimp, however, are fed unnatural diets and chemicals. Ultimately, this has a major impact on their quality, and it results in worse-tasting shrimp. Wild American shrimp live free in nutrient-rich waters, which enhances their overall flavor and optimizes their texture.

More importantly, cooking with wild-caught shrimp takes a dish to the next level. Wild-caught shrimp absorb whatever sauce or seasoning they encounter to an unmatched level. Generally, wild-caught shrimp have a cleaner, sharper, and more shrimpy flavor, which is another benefit.

If you’re unwilling to settle for anything but the best, Tommy’s Seafood is here to help with fresh, wild-caught shrimp and much, much more.

Better for people’s health

Even better, wild American shrimp are much healthier. Farmed shrimp typically live in unsanitary, polluted environments.

Farms cultivate a high volume of shrimp at one time, which forces them to swim in their filth. As a result, disease is widespread. To combat this pervasive disease, they’re fed antibiotics, which are then consumed by people.

Consequently, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern. AMR prevents drugs from treating common microorganisms in humans like bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites. This antibiotic resistance kills a staggering 29,500 Americans annually.

By purchasing wild American shrimp, you’re protecting the public from a deadly byproduct of unsanitary conditions. More importantly, wild-caught shrimp are not exposed to excessive amounts of other chemicals or additives.

Farm-raised shrimp are also typically injected with hormones. These hormones are intended to artificially expand the size, vitality, and quality of shrimp. These hormones eventually enter the human body and can have severe health consequences.

If you’re looking for shrimp that are healthy for the consumer, wild American shrimp are the best option. At Tommy’s Seafood, we prioritize the public’s health.

Better for the environment

Lastly, wild American shrimp are better for the environment. Shrimpers and processors adhere to strict government regulations.

These regulations ensure shrimpers harvest shrimp in a way that doesn’t disturb or damage their natural habitat. Furthermore, the World Wildlife Fund reports that farmed shrimp accounts for 55% of globally produced shrimp.

This sizable percentage results in a steady stream of organic waste, chemicals, and antibiotics from shrimp farms that pollute groundwater and coastal estuaries. Moreover, farmed shrimp are more susceptible to disease, which impacts the food chain and depletes ponds.

This results in shrimp farmers abandoning farms altogether and relocating, which destroys the environment further. Wild American Shrimp, however, are sustainably caught, and they’re harvested from natural environments free of chemicals that eventually become pollutants.

Get in touch now to order your seafood!

If you serve or sell shrimp, anything but wild American shrimp is a disservice to your customers and reputation. Luckily, at Tommy’s Seafood, we sell sustainably-caught shrimp, and our innovative freezing process preserves the unequaled flavor provided by our nutrient-rich waters. Moreover, we custom pack products within your brand specifications. Get in touch now to start ordering! After trying our premier seafood, we guarantee to have you hooked, too.