Prawns from the Bohai Bay

Prawns from the Bohai Bay

　　The seabed of the Bohai Bay features sandy and muddy substrates and is relatively flat, serving as spawning and feeding grounds for various commercially important fish species. It is renowned as China’s “natural fish warehouse.” Particularly notable are the Bohai swimming crabs, Bohai Bay prawns, and Chinese prawns from the Huanghua sea area, which are famous throughout the Bohai Bay.

　　Prawns are also known as mantis shrimp, guitar shrimp, squilla, or crawfish. Shrimp are highly nutritious, with tender and easily digestible meat, making them an excellent food for those who are physically weak or recovering from illness. Shrimp are rich in magnesium, which plays an important role in regulating heart activity and protecting the cardiovascular system. They can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, prevent arteriosclerosis, dilate coronary arteries, and are beneficial in preventing hypertension and myocardial infarction.

　　The head and the first four segments of the abdomen of Bohai Bay prawns are fused together, with the dorsal carapace and thoracic segments clearly defined. The abdomen consists of seven visibly distinct segments that are larger and wider than the cephalothorax. At the front of the head are a pair of large stalked compound eyes and two pairs of antennae. The first pair of limbs has an inner branch that splits into three whip-like parts, while the outer branch of the second pair is scale-like. The thorax has five pairs of appendages, each ending in sharp hooks used to catch and hold food. The thorax consists of six segments; the first five segments’ appendages have gills, and the sixth pair of abdominal limbs is well-developed, forming a tail fan together with the telson.

　　Males possess a copulatory organ on the last thoracic segment. These are nutrient-rich, juicy, and tender seafood delicacies. Their meat has a high moisture content, with a sweet, tender, and smooth flavor that is delicate yet rich, and they possess a uniquely enticing taste. Spring is their spawning season, making it the best time to enjoy them. During this period, the prawns are plump, with their heads filled with rich roe. The meat is extremely tender, delicious, nutritious, and full of flavor.