Ouassou Guadeloupe

Glossary

Ouassou is the name given to giant freshwater shrimp found in Guadeloupe. The first to name it thus would have been the Amerindians.
The Ouassou can measure up to 25 centimeters and lives in calm and often deep places. It hides under waterfalls and riverbanks that Guadeloupe hosts.
The Ouassou is an omnivore that feeds continuously; it uses its pair of claws to catch small insect larvae, dead fish, fruits, crustaceans...
The Ouassou is part of traditional Guadeloupean cuisine recipes (Ouassou fricassee, grilled Ouassou). It is appreciated for its tasty and firm flesh. Many restaurants offer it on their menu.
In 1978 the first Ouassou farming ponds appeared in Guadeloupe. In 1983 the regional council of Guadeloupe decided to establish a hatchery. In 1985, farmed Ouassou production had increased so much that the regional council decided to expand the ponds over about 30 hectares. Aquaculture developed in Guadeloupe. There are two large farming parks, the Pointe-Noire aquaculture park and the Le Domaine de Séverin distillery in Sainte-Rose. Today Guadeloupe produces about 25 tons of ouassou and there are more than 20 hectares of farming.
The characteristics of farmed Ouassou are its long blue claws and its bluish shell.