Buzz
From March to November, coastal residents of Nha Trang enthusiastically embark on the venture of catching mantis shrimp, a premium seafood highly favored by connoisseurs. The mantis shrimp season thus brings substantial income to the fishermen.
Bustling with Excitement, it's the Mantis Shrimp Season, an Extraordinary Delicacy from the Nha Trang Sea
Mantis shrimp, also known as stomatopods, mantis prawns, or thumb splitters, belong to the Stomatopoda order. Mantis shrimp are widely found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide. The Stomatopoda order has various families, among which Squillidae is the family with many species used as food in Vietnam. Mantis shrimp in Nha Trang also falls under the Squillidae family.
Mantis shrimp can grow up to 30cm. The color of their body varies among species, ranging from brown, greenish-blue, dark black to pink, and light yellow. Mantis shrimp have 8 pairs of legs, with the first 5 pairs equipped with claws, followed by swimming legs. Their eyes have a unique and complex structure, playing a crucial role in distinguishing objects such as coral reefs and prey, even those with transparent bodies.
Mantis shrimp are distributed along the coast of Vietnam, with the growth and development season starting around March. This is also the season when coastal fishermen in Nha Trang make a bounty, especially in Nha Phu lagoon, known for its high natural mantis shrimp yield. During this season, the shrimp is delicious with rich, tender meat, and especially the females have a long chain of eggs from the neck to the tail, more nutritious than lobster, and greener mantis shrimp.
At the edge of Ngoc Diem village's land, Nha Phu Lagoon is a deep concave bay shielded by Ca Mountain, Lan Islet, and Be Mountain offshore. In the past, using small rowboats near the shore would yield abundant mantis shrimp. However, as the sea gradually recedes, fishermen have had to equip motorboats to venture farther.
After capturing mantis shrimp, traders promptly buy them at the boat dock, offering prices ranging from 130,000 to 250,000 VND per kg, depending on size. Larger shrimp are reserved for restaurants and seafood markets in Nha Trang, while smaller ones are taken to the market for sale. During the tourist season, all available mantis shrimp are gathered as the demand from tourists skyrockets.
Mantis shrimp are often transformed into delectable dishes such as garlic stir-fry, salt-roasted, tamarind-roasted, lemongrass-steamed, beer-steamed, or simply boiled for meat extraction and grilled with a side of chili salt. Visitors to Nha Trang can enjoy the picturesque seascape, fresh air, and indulge in mantis shrimp freshly caught from the sea. It's an unforgettable experience for any traveler!
By Mytour
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourFebruary 24, 2023
