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SSA Strengthens Efforts to Combat Shrimp Mislabeling

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) is taking aggressive action to address deceptive marketing of farm-raised imported shrimp as Gulf shrimp. After working with FTC on new restaurant guidance regarding false advertising of seafood, SSA is funding cutting-edge genetic testing of shrimp served at a random selection of restaurants across the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic through SeaD Consulting.

SeaD Consulting’s work reveals a pervasive problem of false advertising, seafood substitution, and economic fraud, further underscoring the need for stronger laws at both the state and federal levels to prevent consumer deception.      

  • Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL: 96% of seafood restaurants were not correctly labeling shrimp on their menus
  • Biloxi, MS: 81% of seafood restaurants were not correctly labeling shrimp on their menus
  • Galveston and Kemah, TX: 59% seafood restaurants were not correctly labeling shrimp on their menus
  • Baton Rouge, LA: 29% of seafood restaurants were not correctly labeling shrimp on their menus
  • Additional findings from local seafood festivals can be found here

Using a third party to document the problem from a random selection of more than 100 restaurants has drawn the attention of local media, federal and local elected officials, and enforcement agencies. The public campaign has focused on bringing deceptive marketing and the struggles of U.S. shrimpers to the forefront while celebrating the restaurants that serve domestic shrimp. When interviewed, these restaurants highlight why they choose to serve U.S. wild-caught shrimp.

“Creating a database on the frequency of violations is truly eye-opening for the public. We now have politicians and enforcement agencies engaging with us and asking to help the shrimp industry and consumers,” said John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “Restaurants should be on notice: the decades-long practice of hiding the true origin of shrimp will land you in hot water.”

In 2024, SSA worked with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to communicate to seafood restaurants that it is a violation of federal law for restaurants to create an impression that they are offering wild-caught domestic shrimp when farmed, foreign shrimp is being served. In addition, some Gulf states have recently strengthened their menu labeling laws—such as Alabama and Louisiana—with others looking to follow suit.

SeaD Consulting’s findings bolster the domestic shrimp industry’s ability to sell to food service establishments.  They estimate that decreasing the inauthenticity rate from 71% to 30% in shrimp-producing states alone could reasonably increase sales of domestic shrimp by roughly three million lbs. per week. Improved enforcement of seafood labeling also helps restaurants that offer consumers authentic domestic shrimp and currently compete against businesses substituting cheaper, foreign, farm-raised shrimp under false pretenses.

Looking ahead to 2025, SSA will continue to support genetic testing initiatives and collaborate with enforcement agencies.

Read more about SeaD Consulting’s findings

Read a proposed Mississippi labeling bill

Read a proposed Texas labeling bill

Find the restaurants found to be using U.S. wild-caught shrimp

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