With the aim of producing xanthan gum, the effects of an aqueous shrimp shell extract (SSAE) as the source of carbon and nitrogen on the yield and apparent viscosity of the gums produced by fermentation using three native strains of Xanthomonas campestris were studied. It was found that the SSAE contained 89.75% moisture, 0.054% ash, 8.069% protein, 0.787 lipids, and 1.337% carbohydrates. Media containing different concentrations of SSAE and supplemented with urea (0.01%) and phosphate (0.1%) were fermented in a shaker, and the results obtained were compared with those obtained from sucrose (control) with the same supplementation and fermentation conditions. Strain 1182 showed the highest yield (4.64 g·L−1) and viscosity (48.53 mPa·s), from the medium containing 10% (w/v) of SSAE. These values were higher than those obtained from the control medium containing sucrose. Shrimp shell is a low cost residue that can be bioconverted into products of high added value such as xanthan gum.