Researchers Find Restaurants Mislabeling Imported Shrimp As Locally Caught

For decades, U.S. shrimpers struggled to compete against a flood of cheap, overseas imports. Despite hopes that caller tariffs nether nan Trump management could thief level nan playing section by making imported shrimp much expensive, nan harm to nan home manufacture has been profound. In Alabama alone, nan number of licensed shrimpers has declined by much than two-thirds since nan 1990s, forcing galore to unopen down entirely.

Now, 1 scientist is fighting back.

Dave Williams, a commercialized fisheries intelligence and laminitis of SeaD Consulting, is starring a run to uncover wherever shrimp served successful Gulf Coast restaurants and festivals really comes from. His ngo is simple: protect section fishermen, reconstruct user spot and expose deceptive practices that mislead customers into believing they’re eating Gulf shrimp erstwhile they’re not. 

Gulf Coast festivals serving imported shrimp

The Gulf region is celebrated for its festivals, celebrating everything from euphony and nan arts to cars, basking aerial balloons — and, of course, shrimp. One of nan astir iconic events is nan National Shrimp Festival successful Alabama, a contented for complete 50 years that draws astir 250,000 attendees annually. The arena promotes section pridefulness and promises “shrimp conscionable astir immoderate measurement you want it,” pinch vendors advertizing “fresh seafood from nan Gulf of Mexico.”

But that declare doesn’t ever clasp up.

At nan astir caller festival, a squad led by Williams tested nan shrimp being sold. What they recovered was eye-opening: 4 retired of 5 vendors were serving imported, farm-raised shrimp, not Gulf shrimp arsenic advertised.

“Places that utilized to waste Gulf shrimp person gone for a cheaper, easier solution,” Williams said. “What they’re doing is utilizing an [sic] imported shrimp alternatively of a [sic] Gulf shrimp.”

Williams develops familial testing for shrimp

Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM

In a trial of 24 restaurants successful Shreveport, Louisiana, 71% were recovered to service foreign, farm-raised shrimp.

“They’re conscionable genuinely horrible,” Williams said astir nan results.

In total, 71% of nan 24 restaurants tested served foreign, farm-raised shrimp, and 58% deceptively branded it arsenic home aliases grounded to bespeak nan root astatine each — a usurpation of authorities law.

Here’s what nan fraud complaint looked for illustration crossed Louisiana successful caller months:

• Shreveport: 71%.
  
• Baton Rouge: 30%.
  
• New Orleans: 13%.
  
• Lafayette: 33%.

Williams says he doesn’t entity to imported shrimp being sold arsenic agelong arsenic it’s intelligibly labeled.

“I person nary rumor pinch a Chinese edifice successful Louisiana trading imported shrimp,” Williams said. “What I person an rumor pinch is erstwhile personification has a image of a vessel connected nan wall, nets successful nan corner, and a word for illustration ‘shrimper’s nett catch’ for their peel-and-eat entrée. Come connected — it should beryllium Gulf shrimp. It has to beryllium Gulf shrimp.”

Promising results but activity to beryllium done

The vulnerability is already prompting change. Williams said galore of nan businesses caught misrepresenting their shrimp person since corrected course, and authorities officials are opening to enforce accountability. Louisiana lawmakers passed tougher shrimp labeling enforcement laws, which took effect Jan. 1, 2025. As of April 11, nan wellness section has recorded 415 violations and issued 136 fines of $500 each.

However, Williams knows his activity is acold from over. A caller information of testing astatine restaurants successful North Carolina revealed a staggering 77% fraud rate, underscoring really wide nan problem remains. His squad is committed to continuing their efforts to protect section fishermen, clasp businesses accountable, and guarantee that erstwhile a personification orders Gulf shrimp, that’s precisely what ends up connected their plate.