BC spot prawns
IngredientMay to Jun
BC spot prawns suit seafood lovers who reach Vancouver in May or June, when the boats at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf and Steveston's Fisherman's Wharf sell them live. A winter trip misses them fresh, because the Steveston Harbour Authority lists spot prawns on its sales float for May and June only.
Photo Taishonambu · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Where to eat BC spot prawns
- False Creek Fishermen's Wharf
Boats sell live spot prawns here from 1 pm each day in season, and the Spot Prawn Festival runs on the dock west of Granville Island.
- Fisherman's Wharf, StevestonSteveston
The public sales float lists spot prawns for May and June.
The spot prawn grows up to 27 centimetres long, and white spots on its first and fifth tail segments give it away. British Columbia lands the biggest harvest anywhere. Wikipedia puts it at about 2,450 tonnes a year, and about 65% comes from the water between Vancouver Island and the mainland. The meat is sweet and firm. Ocean Wise recognizes BC spot prawns as sustainable, and Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch rates them a good alternative.
The commercial season opens in spring and lasts six to eight weeks across May and June. Each year the Chefs' Table Society of BC and the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association mark its start with the Spot Prawn Festival at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf, west of Granville Island. The 20th festival ran on 31 May 2026 with free cooking demos on the dock and an $85 brunch of six spot prawn dishes (plus tax). The festival says the boats there sell live prawns from 1 pm each day through the season.
Fisherman's Wharf in Steveston opens seven days a week, and fishers sell from their own boats at its public sales float. The Steveston Harbour Authority's season list gives spot prawns for May and June. Harvesters felt the pinch in 2026. Fraser MacDonald of the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association said that year that China's tariffs had cut export prices for BC spot prawns sharply, and he argued that strong demand at home matters more than ever for the fleet.
Worth knowing
- Get to False Creek Fishermen's Wharf after 1 pm in May or June, when the festival says the boats sell live spot prawns each day.
- Check the Steveston Harbour Authority's season list before a spring visit to the sales float at Fisherman's Wharf.
- Ask where the prawns come from when a menu names no species.
Quick answers about BC spot prawns
When is BC spot prawn season?
BC spot prawn season runs for six to eight weeks in May and June. The Steveston Harbour Authority lists spot prawns on its sales float for those two months.
Where can you buy live spot prawns in Vancouver?
In season, the boats at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf sell live spot prawns from 1 pm each day. In Richmond, fishers sell them from the public sales float at Steveston's Fisherman's Wharf.
When is the Spot Prawn Festival?
The 2026 Spot Prawn Festival ran on Sunday 31 May at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf. The Chefs' Table Society of BC had posted no 2027 date by mid-October 2026.
Can you get fresh BC spot prawns in winter?
No. Live spot prawns sell off the boats in May and June, the weeks the commercial season runs.
How do you order BC spot prawns?
Buy them live off the boats at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf or on the Steveston sales float in May and June. When a restaurant menu names no species, ask whether the prawns are BC spot prawns.