Are You Eating Real Louisiana Shrimp? Here’s What We Found

(KMDL-FM) The folks in Louisiana are a pretty tolerable bunch. But a couple of things they won't tolerate are liars and those who choose to take advantage of others' hard work. Unfortunately, this kind of unsavory behavior runs rampant in Louisiana's seafood and restaurant industries.

The genetic testing firm SeaD Consulting first came to our attention when they did some snooping at the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City. Believe it or not, the amount of "not Louisiana and not Gulf Shrimp" being used at that festival should have been enough to discredit that event for decades.

What's The Difference Between Imported Shrimp and Wild-Caught Gulf Shrimp?

Shrimp caught in the Gulf support Louisiana's fishing families. Shrimp is an over a $1 billion industry in Louisiana, and some 15,000 people earn a living from it. Louisiana shrimp is quality-controlled and undergoes rigorous safety inspections. Imported shrimp simply isn't up to the same quality and standards as our locally caught shrimp.

Drew Angerer, Getty Images

Further testing of other alleged Gulf Seafood festivals found similar issues. Then, SeaD turned its attention to restaurants in Louisiana's major cities. Some cities fared well and were either honest about using imported shrimp or proudly served wild-caught Gulf shrimp.

Get our free mobile app

Seafood Restaurants on US 190 Inspected For Proper Shrimp Labeling and Use

SeaD Consulting's latest "Shrimp Sweep" was conducted on U.S. 190 in Louisiana. They visited restaurants from Krotz Springs through Opelousas, Eunice, and Kinder, stopping at several places along the way.

Here are the key findings from the report submitted to us via SeaD Consulting:

• 12 of 24 restaurants (50%) were confirmed to be serving American wild-caught shrimp
• 12 of 24 restaurants (50%) were serving imported/farm-raised shrimp while implying or representing American wild-caught origin
o 9 of 24 restaurants (38%) explicitly claimed to be serving American wild- caught shrimp either through staff verbalization or menu description
o 3 of 24 restaurants (12%) correctly identified they were serving imported/farm-raised shrimp

You see, the issue isn't that a business chooses to use imported seafood or not. The issue is that the seafood is properly labeled and identified as wild-caught or imported so consumers can make a better choice in where they spend their money.

SeaD Consulting

Often imported shrimp just doesn't meet the quality of wild-caught Gulf shrimp. The shrimp in the Gulf is more expensive, so a restaurant owner, if they were a total piece of crap, could sell cheaper imported seafood and higher wild-caught prices. They make a profit, and you get an inferior product for your hard-earned money.

They also get the benefit of Louisiana's reputation as a "seafood capital." They besmirch our good name with every bad shrimp dish they serve. Can you imagine what would happen to Louisiana tourism if the food suddenly got bad?

Which Restaurants on US 190 Actually Serve Wild-Caught Shrimp?

The SeaD Consulting report identified the 12 restaurants/eateries that were serving Louisiana and wild-caught shrimp. These are the businesses that are playing by the rules and supporting Louisiana's fishing families. We hope that you might consider that when you choose to spend money on dining out.

1. B + B Boiling Shack - 17607 US-190, Port Barre, LA 70577
2. Billy's Boudin & Cracklins - 24467 US-190, Krotz Springs, LA 70750
3. Crawfish Corner - 529 S Union St, Opelousas, LA 70570
4. DC's Sports Bar & Steakhouse - 1601 W Laurel Ave, Eunice, LA 70535
5. Fausto's Family Restaurant - 14514 US-165, Kinder, LA 70648
6. Joe's Sandwich Shop - 1633 W Vine St, Opelousas, LA 70570
7. Lawtell Food Mart, F&M Quick Stop - 10477 Prejean Hwy, Lawtell, LA 70550
8. Mo' Crawfish - 29017 Crowley Eunice Hwy, Eunice, LA 70535
9. Morrow's Diner - 24442 US-190, Krotz Springs, LA 70750
10. Rascal’s Cajun Express - 17681 Hwy 190 Port Barre, LA 70577
11. Sebastien's West End Seafood - 1538 W Landry St, Opelousas, LA 70570
12. Soileau’s Dinner Club - 1618 N Main St, Opelousas, LA 70570

Again, the establishments listed above passed the genetic testing of their seafood products with flying colors. These are the places along US 190 that serve wild-caught shrimp in the dishes they offer to you.

If you didn't see your favorite spot on the list, ask them. Any and every employee should know, it is a law, what kind of seafood they use in the products they serve. Also, look for signage in the business and on their menus; that's another place they could inform you of the kind of products they sell.