19 Baldwin County restaurants claiming imported shrimp is locally sourced: report

Editor’s note: This article refers to a consulting group’s release of a report on Gulf Coast restaurants and the shrimp they serve. The group sampled a fraction of the restaurants in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley areas and shared some of its results with News 5.

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG)

— An investigation into the Baldwin County restaurant scene and shrimp served has been finalized, leading to the finding of 19 restaurants making false claims, News 5 has learned.

According to a SeaD Consulting news release, the Southern Shrimp Alliance commissioned the group to genetically analyze shrimp dishes at 44 restaurants in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley areas.

This investigation into the restaurants started after genetic testing of shrimp at the 2024 National Shrimp Festival, which found that four out of five vendors were selling imported shrimp, according to the release.

The consulting group found that 25 of the 44 restaurants serve “authentic Gulf wild-caught shrimp,” while 19 serve imported shrimp, claiming their shrimp was locally sourced.

The group said they also found that the seven “boil houses” were serving authentic, local shrimp.

“It’s disheartening to see both festival vendors and local restaurants misleading consumers,” said the President of the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama Ernie Anderson. “Our shrimpers work tirelessly to provide high-quality, sustainable seafood.

“When establishments misrepresent their offerings, it undermines our industry and deceives the public.”

The study found that these restaurants (from its limited research sample) are serving locally sourced shrimp:

• Acme Oyster House
• Baumhower’s Victory Grille
• Beach House Kitchen & Cocktails
• Blalock Seafood & Specialty Market
• Bubba’s Seafood House
• Cotton’s Restaurant
• Coastal Orange Beach
• De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen
• Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar
• Duck’s Diner
• Fish River Grill
• Flying Harpoon
• Foley Fish Company
• Fresh Seafood Market
• Gelato Joe’s Italian Restaurant & Bar
• Gulf Bowl & Captain’s Choice
• Gulf Shores Seafood
• Hangout Hospitality Group
• King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant
• Lartigue’s Fresh & Steamed Seafood
• Local and Company Food+Drink
• LuLu’s Gulf Shores
• Moe’s Original BBQ
• Rouses Market
• S&S Seafood Market

News 5 is sharing SeaD’s results after the group studied numbered, not named, samples, to prevent bias, according to a spokesperson. Unmentioned restaurants may be serving locally sourced shrimp but may not have been included in this study.

SeaD provided an overview of the findings, but not the full test results, upon request.

According to the release, the 19 restaurants that misrepresent their shrimp will be urged to align their practices with Alabama labeling laws. There will also be follow-up testing.

“We only publicize the names of the restaurants who are supporting the local shrimping industry first, and will send letters to those restaurants found to be misrepresenting so they can address the issue and ensure it’s not a supplier problem,” said a SeaD Consulting spokesperson in a statement to News 5.

“The names are also given to local authorities for review and enforcement.”

Alabama enacted the Seafood Labeling Law in May, which mandates that “restaurants and retailers disclose the country of origin and whether seafood is wild-caught or farm-raised.”

The release said penalties for violating the law include warnings and fines up to $1,000, but the Alabama Department of Public Health had been inconsistent in enforcing the law.

“Until more enforcement is in place, Gulf Shores area residents and visitors are urged to stay vigilant and ask for the country of origin of shrimp when served at restaurants, and if in doubt, demand proof of local sourcing by asking to see the box the shrimp came in,” read the release.

For this year’s National Seafood festival, vendors must sell local wild-caught shrimp, and fines will be issued for vendors who do not comply, but it is unclear how this will be enforced.

“The U.S. shrimp industry is facing a crisis,” said John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “Many of our competitors farm-raise their shrimp using forced labor, banned antibiotics, and have received billions in international development funding.

“American fishermen harvest premium-quality shrimp that grow naturally in abundant quantities right here in our local waters. Consumers want it. They prefer it. But, they cannot find it easily due to false advertising.”