noun
Hokkai shrimp (Pandalus latirostris)
A species of shrimp found in northern waters; the name is a biological common name.
北海道ではホッカイエビがよく獲れる。
Hokkai shrimp are often caught in Hokkaido.
Katakana spelling is common for this species name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling exists but is rarely used; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
Compound of 北海 (Hokkai, 'northern sea', referring to Hokkaido) and 海老/エビ (ebi, 'shrimp'). The exact derivation is straightforward; the katakana spelling follows biological naming conventions.