There isn't one single "prawn capital," but several places claim or are known for their prawns, with Ayutthaya, Thailand, famous for giant freshwater prawns, and Ballina, Australia, known as the "Big Prawn Capital" due to its giant prawn statue and heritage. Other contenders include South Australia, recognized for its premium King Prawns from the Spencer Gulf, and Mazatlán, Mexico, often called the Shrimp Capital of the World for its shrimp focus, though this is shrimp not prawn.
In Mazatlán, a mid-sized Pacific Coast city in the state of Sinaloa, that local delicacy is most definitely shrimp. Walking through the street markets in Mazatlan's city centre, the abundance of shrimp becomes immediately obvious.
Nine metres high and weighing 35 tonnes, the Big Prawn is one of Australia's most famous Big Things. It's hard to miss as you drive the main road into Ballina. It's also hard to imagine the town without it. However, a prawnless Ballina was almost a reality.
The biggest prawns in Australia are the Skull Island Tiger Prawns, harvested from the Gulf of Carpentaria, known for their impressive size (up to 26cm/80g) with distinctive stripes and purple tails, offering a sweet, succulent taste and sourced sustainably. Another contender for size, especially in freshwater, are the Giant Freshwater Prawns (cheraban) found after floods in northern rivers, prized by locals.
Giant Freshwater Prawn. Freshwater prawns are also called Malaysian prawns and freshwater scampi. The giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is one of the largest prawns in the world. It is endemic to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, India, Southeast Asia, and Northern Australia.
The "best" Australian prawn depends on preference, but King Prawns (especially Spencer Gulf or Eastern Kings) are prized for their sweetness and versatility, while Tiger Prawns (like Skull Island) offer a robust, savoury taste and striking appearance, and Banana Prawns are known for their mild, sweet flavor, perfect for lighter dishes, with Endeavour, Royal Red, and School prawns offering unique, rich tastes for specific culinary uses.
The most expensive prawns are the Carabineros (scarlet prawns or cardinal prawns) from Spain and Portugal, prized for their intense red color, large size, and incredibly rich, sweet flavor, especially in the "head cheese," making them a top delicacy in fine dining, often costing hundreds of dollars per kilogram due to rarity and difficult deep-sea harvesting. Other contenders include Sicilian Red Prawns (Gambero Rosso) and Mantis Shrimp, but Carabineros consistently top the luxury lists.
Coles sells both Australian-farmed and imported tiger prawns, with "Australian" labelled products coming from farms in northern Australia (like Queensland), while others may be sourced from countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, or Thailand, often processed overseas but still meeting responsible sourcing standards for Coles' own brand. For specific origins, check the packaging for "Product of Australia," as some might be farmed locally but packed elsewhere.
Jumbo or even colossal-sized shrimp work best for dishes that want to highlight shrimp's natural flavors. Bigger shrimp offer a heartier bite and can withstand strong seasonings and intense cooking methods. On the other hand, if you're combining shrimp with other ingredients, smaller sizes might be more appropriate.
That's right, these little gems are farmed in Far North Queensland by Seafarms prawn farmer, Dallas (pictured in the header image).
Ballina, Australia, is known for its relaxed coastal vibe, where the Richmond River meets the sea, offering beautiful beaches, great surfing, and abundant water activities like fishing and river cruises. It's famous for the giant, iconic "Big Prawn" roadside attraction, its maritime history, local seafood, lush hinterland, and as a gateway to the Northern Rivers region, with opportunities for whale watching and exploring rainforests.
Australians call what Americans call "shrimp" by the name prawns, using the term almost exclusively for both large and small varieties, much like British usage, with the famous "shrimp on the barbie" ad being a deliberate change to appeal to Americans. While there are scientific differences, for Aussies, the main distinction is size: bigger ones are prawns, smaller brownish ones might be called shrimp, but generally, it's all about "prawns" on the BBQ.
They are found from estuaries and intertidal areas all the way out to continental shelf depths of 200m. Eastern king prawns are a fast growing species caught in trawl fisheries in NSW and QLD, with the majority caught in QLD. The same stock is caught in both states, but is managed separately.
The bulk of shrimp consumed in the U.S. is whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)—a warm-water, affordable species most commonly found in supermarket seafood aisles. Countries like Ecuador and India are considered industry leaders thanks to their scale, efficiency, and export agility.
THE SEAFOOD CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
If you've ever enjoyed the delicious flavor of lightly breaded and fried seafood, you already know a little about what makes Calabash, NC famous.
Under the Mosaic Covenant, God commanded the Israelites not to eat anything that didn't have fins and scales, including shellfish and shrimp. God graciously established this covenant relationship with the Israelites, promising to protect them and bless them if they followed all of the laws that God had given them.
80/100 means 80 to 100 pieces per kg, 40/60 means 40 tp 60 pieces per kg.
The most common grade for big prawns is 8/12. The 16/20 grade is most common when buying mid sized prawns from wholesalers, and 26/30 from retailers. Grades can be quite daunting when buying prawns: they show how many prawns will be found in a pound, the higher the number the smaller the prawns.
Prawns tend to be larger than shrimp, and often taste sweeter. There are more varieties of shrimp, too. Both animals have 10 legs, but prawns have pincers on three pairs of legs, while shrimp just have one clawed duo.
The "best" Australian prawn depends on preference, but King Prawns (especially Spencer Gulf or Eastern Kings) are prized for their sweetness and versatility, while Tiger Prawns (like Skull Island) offer a robust, savoury taste and striking appearance, and Banana Prawns are known for their mild, sweet flavor, perfect for lighter dishes, with Endeavour, Royal Red, and School prawns offering unique, rich tastes for specific culinary uses.
Nine metres high and weighing 35 tonnes, the Big Prawn is one of Australia's most famous Big Things. It's hard to miss as you drive the main road into Ballina. It's also hard to imagine the town without it. However, a prawnless Ballina was almost a reality.
Avoid whiteleg shrimp farmed in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, or Vietnam (intensive ponds only).
Killer shrimp is an amphipod native to the Ponto-Caspian region that has recently invaded and spread throughout western Europe. Its populations have caused in significant ecological disruption, including reduced biodiversity and local species extinction.
Top 5 Most Expensive Ingredients
The highest shrimp consumption per capita
Known as a high seafood-consuming country, Japan needs to import some fish from other countries to fulfill their domestic demand. Indonesia is one of the countries which supplies Japan with their need for shrimp.