Gulf Shores Studies Reveal Widespread Shrimp Mislabeling Despite Alabama Seafood Law

Since October 2024, Alabama has required restaurants and seafood retailers to disclose the country of origin for all seafood, aiming to ensure transparency for consumers. SeaD Consulting, commissioned by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, has conducted multiple rounds of genetic testing on shrimp served in Gulf Shores-area restaurants to verify whether shrimp labeled as local or wild-caught is truly domestic. Follow-up testing in October 2025 of 22 restaurants showed that 46% were still serving imported shrimp, a slight increase from 43% previously, with some restaurants switching from domestic to imported shrimp and vice versa. Despite some improvements, many establishments continue to mislabel imported shrimp as local, raising concerns about enforcement of Alabama’s seafood labeling law and consumer deception. The Southern Shrimp Alliance and SeaD Consulting highlight the economic and ethical implications, noting that much imported farm-raised shrimp is associated with questionable labor and environmental practices. Findings from these tests have been shared with the Alabama Department of Health to address ongoing challenges in seafood labeling compliance.