Altogether, there are about 3 047 species of shrimps and prawns known to date, subdivided into 4 major
groups, namely Sergestoidea (about 94 species), Penaeoidea (about 376 species), Stenopodidea (at least
60 species), and Caridea (at least 2 517 species). Although the Caridea comprise the majority of species,
only some are abundant enough to be of interest to fisheries. Most of the commercial shrimps and prawns
belong to the Penaeoidea. At present, only slightly less than 300 species of shrimps and prawns are of
economic interest worldwide, and out of these, only about 100 comprise the principal share of the annual
world catch. FAO’s Yearbook of Fishery Statistics reports in 1995 a worldwide production of all shrimps
and prawns of around 3 200 000 t (both from capture fishery and aquaculture). Around 710 000 t of this
production originated in the Western Central Pacific.