The dinner would feature local spot prawns, smelts smothered in summer truffle aioli and little hens grown especially for the occasion.

Creamy, firm-textured risotto can make a savory starter, either the version with morsels of Alaskan spot prawns, Swiss chard, chives and chervil, or another with spinach and shrimp.

But the real winner among the Chinese-style dishes is spot prawns, fished live from a tank and poached simply in the Cantonese style.

Interesting species sometimes displayed include the spotted ratfish, Humboldt squid, basket star, spot prawn, and red octopus.

Harvest of all living marine resources is prohibited in the conservation area except the recreational and commercial take of salmon, albacore, and the commercial take of spot prawn.

Menu items at Patina include grilled hamachi belly, "minute poached" live spot prawn, and New York strip steak.

All exude passionate dedication to regional ingredients like salmon, ling cod, Dungeness crab, spot prawns, Olympia oysters, venison and local mushrooms.

On the West Coast, fresh shrimp are generally called spot prawns.

Mr. Moonen at Oceana is experimenting with the head-off spot prawn from EcoFish, which he says is shorter but fatter than the Maya.

When I saw the gorgeous salmon, spot prawns and Manila clams, however, I abandoned my other cooking plans and started having fun.