Ammonium sulfate fractionated protein fractions at levels of 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 42.5% and 45% ammonium sulfate were recovered from the head waste of tropical marine tiger (MTS), culture tiger (CTS), white (WS) and brown shrimp (BS) and then characterized for protease activity. Distribution of buffer (pH 7.1) extracted protein among ammonium sulfate fractions showed that total protein in 25% fraction of MTS, CTS, WS and BS was 48, 54, 34 and 24 times more than that in the respective 42.5% fraction of the head waste of these shrimps. The highest proteolytic activity was observed in 42.5% (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 protein fraction of the head waste of MTS, CTS, WS and BS, the values were 19, 1.7, 11.6 and 2 times, respectively, more than that of the corresponding 25% (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 protein fractions. Highest caseinolytic activity (pH 8.5) and gelatinolytic activity (pH 7.1) was observed in the 42.5% fraction of the head waste of CTS and WS, respectively; but the highest albuminolytic activity (pH 8) was observed in the same fraction of the head waste of both MTS and BS. The optimum pH for highest gelatinolytic and albuminolytic activity of the 42.5% (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 protein fraction of the head waste of MTS and BS was 4; the same for highest gelatinolytic activity of the same protein fraction of the head waste of WS, and these fractions included acid proteases such as pepsin, the optimum pH for the above activity of the same fraction of CTS was 6-8.5, and the fraction was an alkaline protease such as chymotrypsin. The SDS-PAGE pattern of 42.5% (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 protein fraction of the head waste of BS, CTS, WS and MTS was almost similar with a dark band close to the marker band 20kDa. Proteases make up to 48% of industrial enzymes and are mostly used in detergents, leather production and food industry.