【Reading】しばShrimp

【English Name】Shiba Shrimp

Shiba-ebi (芝海老, shiba shrimp) is a medium-sized shrimp belonging to the genus Metapenaeus of the family Penaeidae. Adults are about 10-15 cm in body length, somewhat smaller and slimmer than the kuruma-ebi (Japanese tiger prawn). When fresh, they are a translucent pale yellow, with fine indigo spots scattered over the body surface and bluish-green tail fans.

Their range is limited to the coastal areas of East Asia; in Japan they are common in regions south of Niigata Prefecture and Tokyo Bay. They also inhabit the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and waters near Taiwan. They prefer muddy bottoms of inner bays at depths of about 10-30 m, burrowing into the sandy mud during the day and swimming near the seabed at night. Carnivorous, they prey on shellfish and crustaceans, with a lifespan of about one to one and a half years.

The Japanese name derives from the fact that they were once landed in abundance around Shibaura in Tokyo. However, due to land reclamation and water-quality deterioration, fishing at Shibaura nearly ceased in the latter half of the 20th century. Today, large inner bays such as the Ariake Sea and Mikawa Bay are the main producing areas, with the peak fishing season in winter.

Besides sushi toppings, they are enjoyed in a variety of cooking methods such as tempura, kakiage, deep-frying, salt-boiling, and sashimi. Note that in 2013, false labeling of vannamei shrimp as "shiba-ebi" became a social issue.