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River Prawns
Also known as "school" or "harbour" prawns, these are small, sweet, flavoursome prawns, often cooked and eaten whole. School or river prawns are found in estuarine and coastal waters along the east coast of Australia, from Tin Can Bay in Queensland to Corner Inlet in Victoria. The younger prawns are able to tolerate relatively fresh water while adults are predominantly found in ocean waters, but may occur in estuaries. School prawns live in depths of between 1 and 55 metres and grow to a total length of 13 – 16cm. About 90 % of the prawns taken by anglers are king prawns (Penaeus plebejus), with the remainder of the catch being school prawns. King prawns have a cream to yellow body with dark brown ridges, and possess a straight rostrum with one tooth on the lower surface. School prawns are translucent with irregular brown or green spots and brown antennae, and have a rostrum with a smooth lower surface. Prawn trawling in the Clarence (around Yamba on the NSW North Coast) occurs mainly in summer and autumn. The local cooperative has set in place sustainable management programs to allow the prawns to breed and mature. It's considered one of the premium prawning areas in Australia and home to the humble "school prawn", the tiny sweet crustaceans also known as "river prawns" and "harbour prawns". Unlike their bigger cousins - king prawns, banana prawns and tiger prawns, the school prawn can be eaten whole, although many people still prefer to peel them. They are popular in Asian restaurants due to their sweet flavour.
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