Why We Still Call North Carolina Shrimp "Local"

One of the questions we hear every summer is, "If they're from North Carolina, why do you call them local?".  The answer lies in the history of shrimping in Virginia and the shared waters of the Mid-Atlantic. 

For decades, Virginia had virtually no commercial shrimp fishery. While shrimp have always been present in Virginia waters, there simply wasn't an established commercial harvest. That changes in 2017, when the Virginia Marine Resources Commission began allowing shrimp harvest under an experimental fishing permit. 

The fishery has grown rapidly. Landings increased from approximately 2,000 pounds in the first year to nearly 400,000 pounds by 2020. Today, Virginia's commercial shrimp industry is still very small and tightly managed. 

Virginia currently has just two designated shrimp harvest areas:

• Eastern Shore Shrimp Trawl Harvest Area - Open September 15 to December 31, from Cape Charles north the the MD state line. 
• Virginia Beach Trawl Harvest Area - Open October 1 through January 31, from Cape Charles south to the NC line. 

Even with these opportunities, the fishery remains limited. As of 2025, only 17 commercial shrimp licenses had been issued from the pool of applicants in Virginia. 

North Carolina, by comparison, has one of the largest wild shrimp fisheries on the East Coast, landing approximately 7.7 million pounds of shrimp annually. About 5.8 million pounds are white shrimp, prized for their larger size, sweet flavor, and tender texture. Another 1.9 million pounds are brown shrimp, known for their firmer texture and richer, more pronounced ocean flavor. 

Because Virginia's season doesn't begin until the fall, the fresh shrimp available during the summer are almost always harvested just south of us in North Carolina. In fact, July through October is the peak North Carolina shrimp season, making this the very best time to enjoy fresh, wild-caught shrimp.

To us, "local" means supporting the hardworking commercial fishermen of our Mid-Atlantic coast - not an arbitrary state line. Virginia and North Carolina share the same coastline, the same Atlantic waters, and generations of fishing heritage. Many of the same seafood dealers, markets, and families have worked together across state lines for decades. 

When you buy fresh North Carolina shrimp at our Graham & Rollins Hampton Seafood Market, you're not buying imported seafood shipped halfway around the world. You're buying shrimp harvested just down the coast by American fisherman, often arriving within a day of being caught. 

That's local enough for us, and we think you'll taste the difference.