Mazatlan - a story of Mexico's shrimp capital

Published in the Pacific Pearl November 2019 issue

Want to know what Mazatlan is all about? Above anything it’s a city to be savored, not just to be seen. The first thing that comes to mind when you’re talking about Mazatlan’s culinary scene is shrimp. But what goes on behind the scenes of this million dollar industry and why is it the perfect time to eat shrimp now?

Back in the 19th century Mazatlan was a bustling cosmopolitan mining and trading city with connections to the US, Europe and South America. Fisheries weren’t an important economic activity, but this changed drastically after the Mexican Revolution in the second decade of the 20th century. Scared away by the insecurity, many of the foreign traders sold their businesses and left the country. This left the local economy in ruins, with little hope for recovery. However locals got a lucky break when in the 1930’s a Japanese delegation suggested that they should consider shrimp fishing. Until then shrimp was seen as a by-product (can you believe it!). This was the birth of Mazatlan as shrimping city. Fisheries, shrimp and tuna mainly, has been the engine of the local economy during the 20th century. Did you know that shrimp you eat at the restaurant can have different sources? That’s right: even though it is all ‘local’ shrimp, the way it’s caught can be different.

The first type is shrimp caught by small fishing boats (or pangas in Spanish) with round nets that are thrown out in the sea. The coastal fishermen can only catch shrimp close to shore or in the estuary areas.  Shrimp caught by the coastal fishermen is referred to as ‘camaron de estero’. To prevent over-fishing the Mexican government has imposed seasonal bans. You can find ‘camaron de estero’ between late September and March and it’s perfect for a shrimp ceviche or spicy Aguachile.

The second type is shrimp caught by the shrimp trawlers (or barcos camaroneros). These ships sail for three weeks and catch their shrimp at sea. The shrimp is processed on the ship and flash-frozen in batches. A common measurement is the ‘marqueta’ which is four pounds of frozen shrimp selected by its size. The letter U with a number indicates how many shrimp fit in a pound.  So the lower the number, the larger the shrimp: for example there are 12 shrimp size U-12 in a pound (or 48 in a marqueta). If you have to feed many, this is a great (and less expensive) option to buy shrimp. Also subject to seasonal fishing bans, you can find high-sea shrimp between October and April. These larger shrimp are perfect to prepare as beer-battered, coconut or bacon-wrapped shrimp.
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The third variety is shrimp from the shrimp farms. You might have seen the large shrimp ponds when landing at Mazatlan airport. It’s the fastest growing shrimp industry because it’s not subject to fishing bans. Its yearly production almost triples coastal and high-sea shrimping production combined. You can find farmed shrimp (or ‘camaron de granja’) all year round and it’s mostly consumed as ceviche, because it doesn’t have a strong fish flavor. Farmed shrimp is usually less expensive than high-sea or estuary shrimp.
Feeling hungry already? Looks like it’s time to find the nearest sea-food restaurant (or ‘marisqueria) and devour every scrumptious shrimp option on the menu. If you’re feeling inspired to prepare your own shrimp, make sure to visit ‘Las Changueras’ shrimp market where you can find the largest variety of shrimp in Mazatlan.