Species profile
Northern brown shrimp
Penaeus aztecus
At a glance
Northern brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) is a crustacean regulated in 12 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (Alabama); the most generous is 200 (Federal Waters (DFO)).
Confirmed by 71 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- It is one of the three most commercially important shrimp species in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Adults can reach up to 7 inches in total length, with females growing larger than males.
- They spawn offshore in deep, high-salinity water; juveniles then migrate to shallow estuaries to grow.
- They prefer soft, muddy bottoms where they can burrow during the day.
- They live a short life of roughly 18–24 months.
Where Northern brown shrimp are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Northern brown shrimp
Background
Farfantepenaeus aztecus is a species of marine penaeid shrimps found around the east coast of the US and Mexico. They are an important commercial species in the US. The FAO refers to them as the northern brown shrimp; other common names, used in the US, are brown shrimp, golden shrimp, red shrimp or redtail shrimp.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Northern brown shrimp article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other crabs/lobsters/shrimp on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.