Big Shrimpin'

For the shrimpers of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, mining the waters for tiny pieces of "saltwater gold" is a treacherous, 24/7 job. But there’s more to shrimping than bringing in the day’s haul. History is made daily as they fight to save a uniquely American way of life.

Big Shrimpin' follows a group of longtime employees of Dominick Ficarino, owner of the most successful business in Bayou La Batre, Dominick’s Seafood. Over the course of several months, the captains and crews of three of Dominick’s boats show what it takes to shrimp and demonstrate how something so little can create such big problems. Working 40 days at a stretch and sometimes 48 hours straight, the crews battle unforgiving elements, equipment breakdowns, injuries, competing boats and even each other.

There is deep history within the tradition of American shrimping. Born and raised in the shrimping industry, Dominick’s fourth generation family business is determined to rebound from the widespread devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill. At a time when close to 90% of the shrimp in America comes from outside the U.S., he’s fighting to keep the industry alive.

Dominick’s loyal crews are willing to risk it all to sustain their way of life and keep Bayou La Batre afloat. Captain Redbone, 35 years in the business, is the one Dominick depends on to haul in the most shrimp. At 32, Captain Bullfrog, the “shrimp whisperer,” is Dominick’s youngest captain. Captain Roundhead claims he was once the best in the biz, but he’s had some hard seasons and is looking for redemption. Away from home and family for months at a time, these pros never stop, never give in, and never give up. (Source: The History Channel)