Shrimp served at Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival all local this year: study

Last fall, KLFY broke the story that four out of five food vendors at the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City were selling imported, farm-raised shrimp.

This year, all seven vendors at the festival were confirmed to be serving local, wild-caught shrimp as advertised, according to testing done by SeaD Consulting.

The firm introduced its Rapid ID Genetic High-Accuracy Test to determine the origin and specific species of shrimp, and has used the tool to identify those who falsely label imported shrimp as coming from the Gulf, according to Dave Williams, CEO of SeaD Consulting.

“Consumers deserve honesty, and shrimping communities deserve fairness,” Williams said. “Thanks to the leadership of festivals like the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, Jazz Fest and the Louisiana Shrimp Festival in New Orleans, and the support of our funders, we’re seeing real change that helps both diners and the men and women who make their living on the water.”

The Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival now requires all food vendors to serve local wild-caught shrimp under its vendor rules. The following seven vendors at the festival were confirmed to be serving authentic Gulf shrimp:

• George’s Fine Foods
• Bon Creole Seafoods
• Kat Daddys Catering
• Southern Concessions
• Morgan Tin Tin
• Wooddreaux’s Cajun Cuisine
• Kajun Seafood Shack

With the support of the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force and the Southern Shrimp Alliance, SeaD Consulting continues targeted genetic testing at restaurants and high-profile festivals across the Gulf South, Williams said.

Kermit Duck, a commercial shrimper in Morgan City, said he never thought that the testing done last year, and the resulting media coverage, could make such a change.

“I am now proud of the festival that finally represents Louisiana shrimpers,” Duck said. “Without the exposure in the press last year, visitors to the festival would likely still be served imported shrimp. Buy local, buy wild all-natural seafood and support the coastal community.”

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