Undercover seafood testers sampled a selection of restaurants in the Shreveport area this month and detected what they say is the highest shrimp fraud rate they have recorded to date in Louisiana.
SeaD Consulting, a food testing company that has been making headlines for uncovering seafood fraud at restaurants and festivals across the Gulf Coast, announced in a news release Wednesday that a “troubling” 58% of the restaurants sampled were deceptively serving foreign shrimp falsely presented as if it were domestic in violation of state law.
The company’s use of genetic testing found a total of 17 out of 24 restaurants sampled, or 71%, served foreign farm-raised shrimp. Fourteen of those, or 58%, did so deceptively by mislabeling the country of origin or refusing to indicate it on their menus or restaurant signage.
The sampling, taken March 8-10, is so far the highest inauthenticity rate the SeaD has recorded in Louisiana since it first launched its testing efforts last year at the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival in Morgan City.
The company does not identify the restaurants that aren’t following the state’s labeling law, opting instead to raise awareness of its existence.
SeaD executive Erin Williams said six of the restaurants were “blatantly being deceptive” by explicitly mislabeling their dishes as “Gulf shrimp” rather than just falsely suggesting it.
It is illegal under federal and state law to mislabel imported seafood as local and can result in fines or other penalties. In some instances, seafood fraud offenses at the federal level can yield criminal charges or even prison time, such as in the 2024 convictions of two Mississippi restaurant owners, one of whom was sentenced to eight months in prison.
Local seafood was once easy to find in Louisiana, but an influx of cheap foreign catch, particularly shrimp and crawfish, has flooded the market over the past two decades.
Williams said she believes there is less public awareness in the Shreveport area of the foreign seafood problem and the plight of the coastal communities that depend on commercial fishermen.
In the past few years, state and federal authorities began cracking down on restaurants that mislead their customers into thinking the foreign seafood they’re eating is wild-caught from the Gulf of Mexico. Some establishments do this through vague dish descriptions or suggestive dining room decor such as nets or photos of shrimp boats on their walls — practices that the Federal Trade Commission announced could be illegal last year.
For more than a decade, Louisiana law has specifically required restaurants, eateries and other food establishments to state on their menus the country of origin of any shrimp and crawfish being served. The same requirements apply to food vendors at fairs and festivals.
However, a 2023 review of state enforcement records revealed that many restaurants had not complied with the laws. Louisiana health inspectors issued thousands of citations to restaurants but levied no fines against them.
Some establishments have found creative ways around the laws by using vague menu descriptions, such as “Local shrimp served when available.”
In an effort to strengthen enforcement, state legislators recently enacted heavier fines for violators and updated Louisiana’s menu labeling statute. Still, a January meeting of the legislature’s Seafood Safety Task Force exposed some loopholes and contradictions in the new law, so it will likely undergo additional changes when lawmakers convene for their 2025 session beginning April 14.
SeaD Consulting launched its testing efforts last year using undercover inspectors to purchase shrimp dishes from vendors and restaurants. The inspectors run the shrimp through a rapid field testing kit that examines seafood tissue genetics in a process similar to the way medical professionals detect viral infections.
Dave Williams, a commercial fishery scientist and SeaD Consulting’s founder, developed the test in collaboration with Florida State University microbiologist Prashant Singh. Their process has been published and undergone peer review in a scientific journal.
In December, the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force, an advisory panel for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, asked SeaD Consulting to analyze shrimp from restaurants across the state in an effort to eliminate consumer seafood fraud. Its analysis includes sampling batches of 24 randomly selected restaurants in different cities across the state.
“This is a blow to the culture of Louisiana, where authenticity in food is paramount,” Louisiana Shrimp Task Force Rodney Olander said in the press release. “When consumers are misled, it hurts local shrimpers and damages the reputation of our beloved seafood industry. We have the support of Southern Louisiana, but clearly not the entire state.”
In addition to its latest results out of Shreveport, the company’s testing of sampled eateries found a 30% shrimp fraud rate in Baton Rouge in December 2024, a 13% fraud rate in New Orleans in January, and a 33% fraud rate in Lafayette in February.
SeaD said it has furnished the names of all the restaurants found to be fraudulently serving imported shrimp to the Louisiana Department of Health for review and enforcement. The Health Department could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday.
The seven restaurants in the sample found to be serving authentic Gulf of Mexico shrimp:
Chuck Wagon Crawfish, 1209 E. Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport, LA 71105.Copeland’s of New Orleans, 1665 E. Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport, LA 71105.The Crabby Crawfish, 8680 Youree Dr., Shreveport, LA 71115.Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, 777 Margaritaville Way, Bossier City, LA 71111.Flying Burger and Seafood, 3127 Airline Dr., Bossier City, LA 71109.The Noble Savage, 417 Texas St. Shreveport, LA 71106.Oyster Bar & Grille, 855 Pierremont Rd., Suite 157, Shreveport, LA 71106.
Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.
SUMMARY: Stephon Castle, nominated for NBA Rookie of the Year, reflects on his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs. Despite the team’s failure to reach the playoffs, Castle sees significant personal and team growth, highlighting the development of chemistry and his own improvement. He credits his progress to consistent opportunities and mentorship from Chris Paul. Looking ahead, Castle aims to refine his game, particularly in making efficient plays and creating shots for both himself and teammates. He is confident in the Spurs’ future and is focused on learning from the upcoming NBA playoffs.
The San Antonio Spurs may not be in the playoffs this season, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be in the headlines for one of the NBA’s top awards.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Emilee Calametti | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-21 15:35:00
(The Center Square) — The Shreveport Police Department shared its year-to-date crime stats during Monday’s administrative conference which showed a significant decline in the city’s crime compared to April 2024.
As of April 21, there have been 10 homicides this year. When looking at this time last year, the city had 23 homicides. The city had 28 in April 2023.
“As we are experiencing a decline in our homicide rate, which means our city is much much safer, that trend continues,” said Police Chief Wayne Smith.
Year-to-date reported shootings also show a significant decline since last year. There have been 67 this year compared to 91 in 2024. Shots fired calls also showed a decrease, with 634 this year compared to 950 this time last year. Shots-fired calls include when someone has been injured and has not been injured.
“Since 2021, you can see a consistent decline that we are so thankful for,” said Smith.
Other crimes are significantly decreasing. However, there was a reported increase in sex crime cases, and Smith did not have a clear explanation for why this was occurring.
There have been 154 reported sex crime cases this year, which is more than the same time last year, 140.
Other reported crime stats to date this year show 319 vehicle thefts compared to 409 last year. There have been 13 reported armed robberies compared to 28 last year. The department reported 410 non-vehicle burglaries compared to 528 last year, and also 287 vehicle burglaries this year compared to 362 last year.
According to Smith, Shreveport also leads the state of Louisiana in arrests for driving under the influence. The department reported 13 fatal crashes as of today.
Crime has been an ongoing issue addressed by the city. Recent reports show an overall decline in all crime over the past five years, which Smith said is due to many initiatives implemented over the past few years.
Emilee Ruth Calametti serves as staff reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and soon, an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Emilee has bylines in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, The Click News, and the Virginia Woolf Miscellany.She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.
SUMMARY: Louisiana officials, including Archbishop Gregory Aymond and Governor Jeff Landry, have expressed condolences following the death of Pope Francis, who served as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church for 12 years. Pope Francis passed away shortly after delivering his final Easter Mass on April 20. Leaders highlighted his compassion, humility, and dedication to the marginalized. Congressman Troy Carter praised the Pope’s unwavering moral clarity, while Senator Bill Cassidy noted his focus on mercy. Local representatives shared personal memories, acknowledging the profound impact Pope Francis had on global communities and his leadership in promoting justice, mercy, and peace.
