In the Brotherhood of fishermen of Tarragona have been in the last few months of congratulations. The shrimp prices caught in the area have reached Christmas levels in the first two months of the year as a result of the closure of fishing grounds in the north of Catalonia and other ports of the Spanish Mediterranean. Little supply, high prices. Those paid at the fish market are around 150 or 160 euros per kilo, according to sources from the Tarragona fishermen’s association, which can lead to retail prices of up to around 200 euros once VAT and management costs. Sources from the brotherhood acknowledge that the two-month ban decreed at the beginning of the year in the port of Palamós has benefited the species and has restricted the supply of product for sale.
in sources of Mercabarna They note that at the moment in the Central Fish Market “there is little supply of Mediterranean red prawns due to the bad weather that is usually on these dates and also, there is little demand, since it does not come alive until Easter”. Wholesale market professionals also emphasize that the Mediterranean prawn that reaches the Barcelona market “is larger than usual. That is why the price is above the normal annual average.” In terms of average prices, the levels registered in Mercabarna are much lower than those currently registered by the Tarragona fishermen’s association. Thus, the average annual price of red shrimp in Mercabarna in 2021 reached 62 euros per kilo, the highest level in the last six years but far from the levels reached in the Tarragona fish market in recent weeks.
The same species as that of Palamós
Contrary to popular wisdom that ensures differences between the Palamós shrimp and the Tarragona shrimp, the truth is that it is the same species, the ‘Aristeus Antennatus’ or red shrimp. It is captured in Tarragona, but also in Dénia (Alicante), Palamós (Girona), La Garrucha (Almería) or Huelva. Yes, for some it is possible to find subtle organoleptic transformations depending on the time of capture and even the state of the water at that time.
Although it is possible to fish them all year round, between April and June is the best time. The end of the ban in March in the fishing grounds of northern Catalonia makes Tarragona fishermen anticipate that prices will tend to fall. The experts assure that the quality of the prawn does not depend on its size, but on its freshness (the more coiled on the grill, the better). The one caught these days in Tarragona is of a large caliber, greater than 20 centimeters, which partly explains the high price on the market.
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The red prawn runs through the so-called “Mediterranean corridor”, like other species (such as tuna and even octopus), and its food is similar in all areas, be it Palamós, Tarragona or Barcelona. The time that passes from the catch to the table (and the respect of the cold chain) is what determines the final quality.