White shrimp gain ground in Menorca’s catches as red shrimp become scarcer

Bep Al·lès/Ciutadella - White shrimp catches have become one of the most notable developments in Menorca’s fishing activity this summer. Trawlers are bringing quantities into port that are higher than usual, while red shrimp, one of the most valuable and representative species in the fish markets of Ciutadella and Maó, have declined considerably on many fishing days.

The situation marks an important change in summer catches. White shrimp, smaller, paler in colour and generally lower in price, are gaining prominence in markets and fishmongers. By contrast, Menorcan red shrimp, particularly sought after by restaurants and consumers during the tourist season, are arriving more irregularly and in more limited quantities.

This situation does not necessarily mean that one species is directly replacing the other. White shrimp and red shrimp may share part of the fleet’s fishing area, but they have different habitats, depths and biological behaviours. Therefore, caution is needed before establishing a direct relationship between the increase in one and the decline in the other.

A species moving northwards

The greater presence of white shrimp forms part of a broader phenomenon that scientists define as the “meridionalisation” of the Mediterranean. The progressive increase in sea temperature favours species that are usually more abundant in southern waters, allowing them to expand their distribution northwards and find new areas in which to feed and reproduce.

White shrimp are a commercial species associated with muddy and sandy seabeds. They are caught by trawling and can be found from relatively moderate depths to areas close to 400 metres. They have a shorter life cycle than other crustaceans and a high reproductive capacity, two factors that can facilitate rapid population increases when environmental conditions are favourable.

The fact that Menorcan waters are becoming warmer for increasingly long periods could be favouring their consolidation. However, temperature is not the only factor explaining catches. Currents, food availability, seabed type, reproduction in each season and the specific areas in which vessels are able to operate also play a role.

When a species finds suitable conditions, it can reproduce more successfully and progressively occupy new fishing grounds. This process is not always visible from one year to the next, but it ultimately has consequences for the composition of catches and for activity at fish markets.

An affordable and easy-to-cook shrimp

From a commercial point of view, white shrimp offer an interesting alternative. They are smaller than large red shrimp, but have tasty flesh and great culinary versatility. They can be boiled, grilled, fried, cooked with garlic or incorporated into rice dishes, stews, noodles and seafood recipes.

Their price is usually lower than that of red shrimp, making them more accessible to households and restaurants. In a summer marked by the general rise in the price of fresh products, an abundant and relatively affordable local catch may be well received by consumers.

This abundance, however, also presents a commercial challenge. When vessels bring large quantities of white shrimp to the fish market on the same day, supply may exceed immediate demand and push prices down. For fishermen, catching more kilos does not always mean obtaining greater economic returns, especially considering fuel costs, vessel maintenance and restrictions on fishing days.

The irregularity of red shrimp

The summer decline in red shrimp catches contrasts with reports from the beginning of the year. In March, fishermen and researchers from the Jaume Ferrer Research Station pointed to a recovery of the resource in Menorcan waters. That improvement does not prevent catches from varying greatly from one season to another or vessels from finding lower concentrations in their usual fishing grounds during certain weeks.

Red shrimp usually live at greater depths than white shrimp and make movements related to reproduction, feeding, temperature and water masses. A lower catch does not automatically mean that the population has fallen by the same proportion. It may indicate that specimens have moved, that they are more dispersed, that vessels have devoted fewer days to their fishing grounds or that oceanographic conditions have made them more difficult to locate.

The regulatory framework must also be taken into account. Red shrimp fishing is subject to catch limits and restrictions on fishing days. For 2026, the Balearic fishing sector has expressed its disagreement with the combination of quotas in kilos and a reduction in fishing days, because it considers that this does not adequately reflect the specific situation of the islands’ fishing grounds. The Balearic Government maintains, based on reports from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, that this fishery was already being exploited sustainably in 2023.

These restrictions can alter the strategy of fishing vessels. When not all fishing effort can be devoted to red shrimp, vessels work at other depths and seek alternative species, among which white shrimp now stand out. This may also contribute to increasing their presence at fish markets.

A change that calls for closer observation of the sea

This summer’s season shows the extent to which fishing is an activity conditioned by a changing environment. The abundance of white shrimp may represent an opportunity to diversify local produce, but the decline in red shrimp is a cause for concern because it affects a species of great economic and gastronomic value.

It is still too early to know whether the situation is strictly seasonal or whether it forms part of a deeper change within Menorca’s marine ecosystems. To determine this, it will be necessary to compare catch data, fishing areas, depths, specimen sizes and temperature trends over several seasons.

Meanwhile, white shrimp are no longer merely an occasional presence. This summer they occupy more boxes at fish markets, more space in fishmongers and an increasingly important place in the island’s seafood cuisine. The Menorcan sea continues to provide produce, but with a different composition, forcing fishermen, scientists, restaurateurs and consumers to adapt to a reality that is changing beneath the surface.