Dixie Crossroads Shrimp Lore
Dixie Crossroads is famous for shrimp – Reds, Whites, Pinks, Brownies, “Hoppers” and, of course, our trademark specialty…Rock Shrimp, the sweetest little delicacy to ever come from the ocean.
One of Florida’s most exciting rites of spring involves “dipping” shrimp during annual shrimp migrations. Armed with long-poled nets, coolers, elaborate lighting systems and even small generators, enthusiasts line up on bridges to wait for nightfall when traveling shrimp become visible as they pass through circles of light illuminating the dark water. Many shrimpers arrive in the early afternoon and sit for hours, guarding what they hope will be the most productive spot from which to scoop the elusive crustaceans.
The Rock Shrimp King
Have you ever wondered how rock shrimp became such a popular seafood product? Thirty-five years ago this small little crustacean couldn’t even be given away, never mind eaten.
Well, Rodney Thompson, the founder of Dixie Crossroads, has a very interesting story to tell about how rock shrimping all began. This is not just another fish tale!
The Rock Shrimp Conservation Story
Atlantic rock shrimp begin their lives in a rare deep-water reef system that stretches for over 90 miles along the shelf edges at depths of 200-300 feet off the eastern Florida coast. Known as the Cones, Steeples, and Humps, these reefs consist of large pinnacles and ridges, which can sometimes reach amazing heights of over 100 feet. The reefs are built by the ivory tree coral, Oculina varicosa, a branching stony coral that lives as isolated colonies from North Carolina to the Caribbean. However, the stretch off of Florida is the only place in the world where massive Oculina reefs have been found.
