Artisanal salt pond prawn cultivation
At La Ferme des Baleines, we release tiger prawn larvae into the claire salt ponds with the oysters in the Spring, as soon as the water is warm enough. Because there are only 1 to 2 prawns per square metre, they have enough food to grow naturally without any industrial feed.
100% Natural Tiger Prawns
With their recognisable striped shells and blue tail, tiger prawns from the salt marshes of the Île de Ré are sold live, without any preservatives, from August to November.
They are firm and delicate, with a subtle salty aroma.
Cultivating tiger prawns alongside oysters improves the development of our fine de claire and spécile de claire oysters. As the prawns move along the bottom of the claire salt ponds at night, they stir up nutrients, bacteria, and phytoplankton, which become suspended in the water. Because oysters are filter feeders, this is practically like spoon feeding them!
The prawns also create turbidity by stirring up the sediment at the bottom of the ponds, preventing the growth of macroalgae and promoting the growth of phytoplankton, which the oysters feed on.
Colourful Salt Marsh Tiger Prawn Blue Tail
Our catch from going night fishing for Salt Marsh Tiger Prawns
| Designation | Peneaus Japonicus, originally from Japan, Tiger prawnsraised in the marshes of St-Clément-des-Baleines, Île de Ré |
| Larvae Source | Mediterranean |
| Merroir | St-Clément-des-Baleines Claire salt marshes, île de Ré |
| Cultivation Type | Artisanal aquaculture 100% in claire salt ponds, cultivated alongside oysters |
| Food Source | 100% natural, no inputs |
| Density per m2 | 1-2 prawns / m2 |
| Taste | Firm and delicate flesh, with a subtle marine aroma |
| Season | July to November |
