THE SHRIMP FISHERY 



177 



If fresh shrimp are used, they usually are delivered to the plant headed 

 and iced in 100-pound boxes. They are washed, graded, and inspected 

 in the same way as shrimp destined to be frozen in the shells, described 

 above. 



The peeling and deveining operation is done by machine. There are 

 several kinds of these. The single-feed machine involves placing the 



Figure 12.4. Checking weight of packaged raw shrimp 

 prior to freezing. ("Fish Boat," H. L. Peace Publica- 

 tions.) 



shrimp into the machine by hand one at a time. A knife splits the shrimp 

 along the 'Vein" or intestine, strips off the shell, and washes out the 

 vein with a jet of water. The peeled and de veined shrimp are delivered 

 into a hopper or endless belt, and the shells and veins are discharged 

 onto a waste belt. The bulk-feed type of machine is used in some plants 

 It peels the shrimp first in one machine and then de-veins them 

 in another by splitting the shrimp with a razor blade and removing the 

 vein by catching it on indentations on a cylinder revolving in water. 



