188: Nine-toothed fan shrimp

Nine-toothed fan lobsters, also known as slipper lobsters, shovel-nosed lobsters, or flathead lobsters, belong to the order Decapoda, family Scyllaridae, and genus Scyllarides.

Their tails are shaped like thin fans, earning them the name slipper lobster due to their resemblance to the musical instrument, the pipa.

Overall, they look like a combination of a beetle and a shrimp, with a dark brown, extremely flattened body and a smooth or slightly pitted back.

Their hard shells, resembling sawteeth, often deter many people from trying them.

Because of their flat bodies, some places also call them 'slipper lobsters'.

Slipper lobsters have a texture similar to lobsters, with fresh, tender, sweet meat, a smooth mouthfeel, and rich nutrition.

They can be prepared as sashimi, steamed, used in soup, or deep-fried.

When made into sashimi, they retain their original flavor and have an excellent taste; some even consider them more delicious than sliced raw fish.

Depending on the season, size, and regional differences, the purchase price ranges from 30 to 80 yuan per catty.

This net likely yielded over 6,000 catties, with individuals mostly uniform in size, around six to seven taels each. This is considered a medium-to-large specification among slipper lobsters.

This makes sorting much easier; they are picked into baskets and then directly poured into the live fish hold.

While sorting, Bai Dahai recounted an interesting story about slipper lobsters: because they resemble beetles, few people ate them in the past.

The price was very low; in the 1990s, they only sold for one or two yuan per catty.

Later, with their popularity in Japan and Taiwan, combined with their genuinely delicious meat, prices began to rise.

This rapid increase in value took about a year.

Everyone listened to the stories while sorting the seafood, which made the work less tiring.

For the seafood intended to be kept alive and brought back to shore, the sorting speed needed to be increased.

Due to the large quantity, prolonged dehydration, and stacking, the ones at the bottom often do not survive.

These are all losses. The uniformity of the seafood significantly increased the sorting speed for the several people. Their hands were moving so fast they were a blur.

In less than an hour, as the last basket of miscellaneous fish was pushed into the freezer, it signaled that the earnings from this net were securely in their pockets.

Bai Dahai had already gone to start the boat half an hour earlier, and of course, the trawl net was simultaneously deployed again for operation.

Fishing boats are like this; they rarely stop. The Ship worker and even the captain can take turns resting, but the fishing boat must operate continuously, except in special circumstances.

Everyone finished cleaning the deck together and went back to rest, leaving only Bai Dahai, who was operating the boat, and Zheng Tie, who was preparing supper.

A large basin of steamed slipper lobsters, Cobia sashimi, braised Cobia ribs, fish heads, and a large pot of seafood porridge.

Checking the time, he let the porridge simmer slowly over a low flame, then went to the cockpit to smoke and chat with Bai Dahai.

"A Tie, how is it? Can you handle the fisherman's life?"

Bai Dahai had a very good impression of Zheng Tie:

He was hardworking, proactive, eager to learn, strong and robust, and most importantly, he was an excellent cook.

"Brother Bai, I really like this kind of life. It's fulfilling and exciting, and most importantly, I earn money, hahaha!"

Zheng Tie replied with a laugh.

"Hmm, do you feel very tired?"

"This much work isn't very tiring. I also do farm work at home. Actually, I've always wanted to go out to sea and see things..."

Unbeknownst to them, the two started chatting openly.

"Oh no, the porridge is still cooking in the pot!"

Zheng Tie suddenly remembered and rushed to the kitchen.

Fortunately, he had left it on a low flame when he left, so turning off the heat now was just right.

"Brother Bai, should I wake them up for dinner?"

Returning to the cockpit, Zheng Tie asked Bai Dahai.

"Let's wait a bit! Let them rest for another half an hour. After dinner, we can just start hauling in the net."

Bai Dahai checked his phone, calculated the time, and said.

"Okay!" Zheng Tie agreed.

"Brother Bai, what's the water depth here now?"

Bai Dahai looked at the screen on the control panel and replied:

"113 meters."

"Oh! Over 100 meters! Is that considered deep sea then?"

Zheng Tie sounded a little excited.

"Hehehe, well, I need to give you a quick lesson. Actually, there's no official clear standard for deep sea and shallow sea."

"We fishermen and some fishing enthusiasts, however, have a clear definition: it's generally divided at 200 meters. Beyond 200 meters is called deep sea, and anything less is shallow sea."

"So, what people hear as 'deep sea' doesn't just refer to depths of hundreds or thousands of meters; actually, any depth exceeding 200 meters is considered deep sea."

"Places with a water depth of 200 meters are located on the continental shelf, and several of our country's major fishing grounds are there."

"It's not to say that fish resources in the deep sea beyond 200 meters are necessarily better than in shallow seas. In fact, it's the opposite. However, it's true that deep-sea fish are generally larger, rarer, and more expensive."

"Deep-sea biological species are relatively fewer, but their numbers are vast, and individuals are larger."

"Shallow-sea fish resources, on the other hand, are more abundant and diverse. They are also one of the main sources of fishery resources for various countries."

Zheng Tie nodded, a look of having been enlightened on his face.

The two smoked another cigarette and chatted for a few more minutes. Bai Dahai checked his phone and said:

"It's about time."

He picked up the intercom and began to call out: "Brothers, time to get up and eat, we're about to haul in the net!"

After calling three times, the people in the rest cabin came out one after another and went to eat together.

"A Tie, your cooking is excellent; you could even open a restaurant."

Bai Dazheng's words met with everyone's unanimous approval.

Then he jokingly added: "Chen's sister will be blessed in the future!"

Everyone burst into laughter, except Chen Dong, who was a bit unsure whether he should laugh or just silently drink his porridge.

"Speaking of which, A Tie, what do you think of Chen's sister?"

Chen Zhongwei asked.

Now everyone was smiling, staring at Zheng Tie with anticipation, wondering how he would answer.

Even Chen Dong pricked up his ears, listening carefully.

They were definitely a group of gossip-mongers.

Since the captain had asked, even Zheng Tie, whose face was flushed, couldn't pretend to be deaf and mute.

"I think she's very good."

Zheng Tie answered honestly.

"Then do you like her?"

Bai Dazheng, enjoying the spectacle, pressed on.

"I really like her."

Since he had said the first sentence, Comrade Zheng Tie simply and openly expressed his true feelings. It was not shameful for a 30-year-old young man to like someone.

"Oh!"

"Well done!"

Everyone cheered, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.

Even Chen Dong, with a smile on his face, joined in the chorus.

He actually approved of this tall, strong man from inland; he was diligent, honest, hardworking, and genuine.

It was just that day at Yang Qi's house, seeing his sister's demeanor, he felt a bit like pushing her onto him, which was a bit embarrassing, and he was afraid of being looked down upon.

Now, hearing Zheng Tie's words and knowing that he also liked his sister, the burden in his heart immediately lifted... PS: Please like, comment, request updates, and use the free 'power of love'.

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