Fishing for Shrimp
Special | 6m 27sVideo has Closed Captions
Shrimp aquaculture scientist Loc Tran is making shrimp farming healthier and more sustainable.
Farmed shrimp has a history of disease and environmental disaster. Shrimp aquaculture scientist Loc Tran is making shrimp farming healthier and more sustainable. He shares the science behind preparing shrimp in the healthiest way at a catch and cook restaurant in Vietnam.
Fishing for Shrimp
Special | 6m 27sVideo has Closed Captions
Farmed shrimp has a history of disease and environmental disaster. Shrimp aquaculture scientist Loc Tran is making shrimp farming healthier and more sustainable. He shares the science behind preparing shrimp in the healthiest way at a catch and cook restaurant in Vietnam.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- [Fisherman] You have it?
- Yeah.
- Oh, yeah.
(fisherman clapping) - Hey.
He say hi to me.
- [Observer] I like this.
- [All] Wow.
Oh.
Wow.
- You cannot go away, baby.
- Oh, wow.
- Whoa.
- Big one.
- Is it a double catch or what?
(all chuckling) - Wow, that's a big one.
- There you go.
- [Narrator] Vietnam is one of the world's largest shrimp suppliers.
That output has come with problems.
(staff speaking in foreign language) The shrimp industry in Vietnam shows how aquaculture can go wrong and how it can be done right.
- Vietnam has a very rich culture of eating seafood.
Starting from thousands of years ago.
This is four pounds for $12.
Shrimp farming is a very young business.
I think the first modern shrimp farming happened about 40 years ago, but it is a very big industry.
Vietnam is producing roughly about 1 million tons of shrimp that result in a export turnover of over $4 billion and creating millions of jobs.
I think we can do our culture, but at the same time we can protect the environment.
Oh, here.
About 30 years ago, this farm belonged to a group of my father's friend, and then the farm got wiped out, and then, they abandoned the farm.
So, let's go have a look.
Eight years ago, my father and his friends all agreed, "Let's give that farm to that idiot and see what the hell he can do."
(Loc Tran chuckling) (waves lapping) Disease is the consequences of wrongdoing at the farm.
Nowadays, we use plastic line shrimp ponds, and then, treating the water, treating the waste, and ensuring the food safety is very important.
(fisherman speaking in foreign language) Fresh shrimp, they are antibiotic-free.
And you can also see the color, the firmness of the shrimp.
So, these are healthy, beautiful animals and ready to eat.
(gentle music) - Wow.
- Finally.
- Oh, come on.
- I made it.
- [Observer] Come on.
- Yeah.
Okay.
Oh, very nice.
- Wow.
- Oh, wow.
- That's good.
(all clapping) - Only one claw.
Yeah.
Okay, you have plenty.
- Thank you.
- Okay, rule number one: animal welfare.
(water splashing) So, this is the most humane way to kill the shrimp.
Don't, don't torture them.
Put them in ice slurry so they go to sleep.
Because when you keep them in cold temperature, you will slow down all the enzymatic activities.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- And when they are, let's say, jumping, dying, they release a lot of bad hormones.
- Yep.
- So, the bad hormones plus the enzyme make the meat, uh, less good.
Okay?
So, you see the shrimp is already unconscious.
- Yeah.
- Fold like this.
It will burn a little bit in a skeleton, but it will add some flavor.
So, it has a very thick shell.
We call it the cuticle to protect the meat from inside.
- [Observer] Yeah.
- It will also preserve the juice inside, so it will be juicy and smoky flavor.
The head contains a very big organ named hepatopancreas and that hepatopancreas must be cooked through.
Otherwise, yeah, we may have stomach upset.
And you see, when we eat the raw shrimp, doesn't have the head.
Doesn't have the intestine.
- Yeah.
- Only the meat.
And the meat is virtually sterile.
So, you see, everything is scientific.
The other way around is to use some lamb juice, because the lamb will bring the pH to around three point something to four.
And we know exactly from our microbiologist, at that pH it kill up 99.9% of bacteria.
You see, I may act like an idiot, but I know some science behind.
(all chuckling) - It smell, the smell is good.
- Yeah.
Smell good.
I think it's time.
- Yeah.
- Thank you, sir.
- [Loc Tran] You're welcome.
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
- And the biggest is mine.
(all chuckling) Open the carapace and wait, it will, it will cool now.
Okay, so, you have all the meat here.
The head taste just exactly like butter.
- Yeah.
- Okay, okay.
- So fun.
- [Loc Tran] Everyone got the shrimp?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- [Loc Tran] Show your shrimp.
- Yo.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
(soft music) - [Loc Tran] The hepatopancreas is like, uh, cheese with butter.
- Mm.
- [Loc Tran] So, it melts with the meat.
- [Observer] Mm, super.
- Very good.
(soft music) Cheers.
- [Loc Tran] Ready for the next round?
- [Observer] Yeah.
