SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Brine shrimp, a crustacean native to the Great Salt Lake and recently named the official state crustacean , have seen an incredible population growth over the last year, symbolizing hope for the Great Salt Lake and serving as evidence of the state’s efforts to improve the lake’s health.
ABC4.com spoke with John Luft, program manager of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources ‘ Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program , regarding these small crustaceans and their vital role in our ecosystem.
“Essentially everything eats brine shrimp,” Luft said. “The migratory birds reap the benefits of this highly productive food source available. You could also say that brine shrimp actually feed people around the world, since brine shrimp are the food that table shrimp — that you and I would eat — that’s what those table shrimp consume that are grown in aquaculture industry.”
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Luft said that over half of the shrimp people consume are grown in the aquaculture industry, rather than caught wild in the ocean. And the Great Salt Lake is a huge contributor to this industry, supplying almost half of the worldwide demand for brine shrimp.