Gulf Shores, Ala. — (OBA) — Since October of 2024, Alabama has required restaurants and seafood retailers to disclose the country of origin on all seafood sold within the state. Area outlets have since changed their menus and signage to show if their seafood is locally sourced or imported. Since the law was initiated a DNA testing company has tested the outlets periodically and published their results.

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SeaD Consulting and the Southern Shrimp Alliance have just released new findings that shed light on how Gulf Shores restaurants are responding to Alabama’s seafood labeling law—and whether “local shrimp” on menus really means what it says.

Using RIGHTTest™, a genetic verification tool, SeaD retested shrimp at 22 restaurants across Gulf Shores this month. The results show progress at a few major chains that switched to wild-caught domestic shrimp—but also continuing mislabeling at nearly half of all establishments tested.

In a press release SeaD Consulting stated "Two well-known regional chains, Shrimp Basket and Tacky Jack’s, made the switch to verified U.S. wild-caught shrimp. Yet, 9 out of 10 restaurants claiming to serve “Gulf” shrimp were still serving imported, farm-raised shrimp—sometimes with staff instructed to say it’s local. The findings raise serious questions about labeling enforcement and consumer transparency."

Many local seafood outlets have questioned the testing in past results. They have asked for ALL outlets to be tested and then an official results notification to be sent to the outlet. SeaD Consulting has stood by their testing methods and results over the past year. They have tested seafood at the National Shrimp Festival earlier in the month.

The results of the most recent outlets to be tested are disclosed in the SeaD Consulting press release, which is attached below: