Four South Louisiana Restaurants Violated Law by Serving Imported Shrimp Without Proper Labeling

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - If you’ve been ordering shrimp at your favorite Lafayette seafood spot expecting fresh, wild-caught Gulf shrimp, you might not have been getting what you paid for. A recent investigation found that several local restaurants are serving imported shrimp—without properly labeling it, as required by Louisiana law.

According to reports from KLFY News 10 and The Advocate, a study conducted by SeaD Consulting revealed that 33% of sampled Lafayette-area seafood restaurants were selling farm-raised imported shrimp. Of the 24 restaurants tested, eight were serving non-Gulf shrimp, and four of those were misrepresenting the source of their shrimp dishes. Louisiana law requires that any restaurant serving imported shrimp or crawfish must clearly indicate the country of origin on menus or signage, along with the word "imported."

Reports say the results in Lafayette are comparable to Baton Rouge, where 30% of tested restaurants had similar issues, but significantly higher than New Orleans, where only 13% of tested restaurants were found to be serving mislabeled shrimp.

“This is the heart of Cajun country,” said Dave Williams, founder of SeaD Consulting and a commercial fishery scientist. “To find that one in three dishes being served here are imported, farm-raised shrimp instead of the local, wild-caught shrimp that supports the Cajun shrimp industry was surprising.”

How Was the Seafood from Lafayette Restaurants Tested?

SeaD Consulting conducted the testing between Feb. 10-13 using their Rapid ID Genetic High-Accuracy Test, developed in collaboration with Florida State University. This portable, cost-effective test delivers results in just two hours, allowing investigators to get an immediate snapshot of shrimp authenticity in the region. The study was funded by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Shrimp Task Force.

While the report did not disclose the names of the four restaurants found to be violating Louisiana’s labeling law, those names were provided to state officials for further review. However, the study did confirm that 16 Lafayette-area restaurants were accurately advertising and serving fresh, wild-caught Gulf shrimp, including Bon Temps Grill, Don’s Seafood, Olde Tyme Grocery, and Prejean’s, among others. The decision to highlight compliant restaurants rather than publicly naming those in violation was part of the report's methodology.

Lafayette Restaurants that Accurately Advertised Seafood Source

• Bon Temps Grill, Lafayette
• Chris' Po-Boys, Lafayette
• Don's Seafood, Lafayette
• Dwight's Restaurant, Lafayette
• Fat Pat's, Lafayette
• Fezzo's, Broussard
• Half Shell Oyster House, Lafayette
• Louisiana Po'Boys, Lafayette
• Mandez's Seafood Bar & Grill, Lafayette
• Olde Tyme Grocery, Lafayette
• Poor Boy's Riverside Inn, Broussard
• Prejean's, Lafayette
• Royal Seafood Mart, Broussard
• Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant, Lafayette
• Ton's Drive-In, Broussard
• Young's Sports Grill, Broussard

The good news is that most Lafayette seafood spots are doing the right thing, making sure their customers get the quality local seafood they expect. But for those that aren’t following the law, maybe this study will have them correct the items that are in violation before it affects their business.