Following our stories about the state’s best new restaurants and a local island named among the world’s top travel destinations, the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Dining and Entertainment Team now turns to a concerning report by the Southern Shrimp Alliance on seafood false advertising.
Founded in 2002, the Tarpon Springs-based Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) describes itself as “an organization of shrimp fishermen, shrimp processors, and other members of the domestic industry in the eight warmwater shrimp producing states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.”
The SSA issued a news release last week stating that it is “taking aggressive action to address deceptive marketing of farm-raised imported shrimp as Gulf shrimp.” On Monday, Jan. 27, the SSA followed up with another release, stating that “shrimp consumers are being misled on a massive scale” in a major Florida metro area, again citing a report by SeaD Consulting.
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‘96% of seafood restaurants were not correctly labeling shrimp on their menus’ in Tampa Bay
A recent report revealed that 96% of seafood restaurants in Tampa Bay were not accurately labeling shrimp on their menus.
The SSA stated on Jan. 21 that after working with the Federal Trade Commission on new restaurant guidance regarding false advertising of seafood, it is “funding cutting-edge genetic testing of shrimp served at a random selection of restaurants across the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic through SeaD Consulting.”
“SeaD Consulting’s work reveals a pervasive problem of false advertising, seafood substitution, and economic fraud, further underscoring the need for stronger laws at both the state and federal levels to prevent consumer deception,” the SSA said.
Among the findings was that “96% of seafood restaurants were not correctly labeling shrimp on their menus” in Tampa and St. Petersburg.
How were Tampa Bay shrimp consumers misled by restaurants?
On Monday, Jan. 27, the SSA issued a news release with the headline “96% of Tampa-St Pete Shrimp Consumers Misled by Restaurants.” It noted that “SeaD Consulting found that 96% of the sampled Tampa-St. Pete, Florida restaurants (42 of 44) imply they serve local shrimp while actually serving farm-raised imported shrimp.”
“Tampa and St. Petersburg, twin jewels on Florida’s Gulf Coast, are renowned for their pristine beaches, bustling downtowns, and an abundance of seafood options,” reads the press release issued by SeaD Consulting and dated Jan. 27. “However, a recent investigation utilizing genetic tests in the area reveals a surprising finding: despite being situated on the Gulf of Mexico and implying that local shrimp was on the menu, a mere two out of 44 sampled restaurants serve authentic, wild-caught Gulf shrimp.”
They noted that while “menus may advertise fresh shrimp dishes, most establishments rely on imported, farm-raised shrimp from countries like India, Vietnam, and Ecuador.”
‘Family-owned shrimp businesses operating out of the Port of Tampa are struggling to survive’
“When diners think of Tampa and St. Pete, they think of seafood fresh from the Gulf,” said David Williams, Commercial Fishery Scientist and Founder of SeaD Consulting, who led the sampling effort, in a statement. “To discover that the majority of restaurants are serving shrimp sourced from overseas is a wake-up call for the area’s food scene.”
John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, also issued a statement.
“Family-owned shrimp businesses operating out of the Port of Tampa are struggling to survive while local restaurants bamboozle customers into thinking locally caught shrimp are being served,” Williams said. “If restaurants wish to serve shrimp from countries associated with labor abuses, environmental harms, and banned antibiotic use, that is their choice. But be honest and let consumers choose what they eat.”
In the same press release, SEAD Consulting noted that, in partnership with Florida State University, they currently hold the patent “for portable rapid ID high accuracy genetic test RIGHTTest, being used in a multi-state study to determine shrimp species being served at seafood restaurants.”
Only two seafood restaurants in Tampa Bay were confirmed to be serving local Gulf shrimp
Salt Shack on the Bay is at 5415 W. Tyson Ave. on Rattlesnake Point overlooking Old Tampa Bay just off the Gandy Bridge in Tampa.
Salt Shack on the Bay in Tampa and Stillwaters Tavern in St. Petersburg were the only restaurants in Tampa Bay confirmed by SeaD Consulting to be serving local Gulf shrimp.
Located just off the Gandy Bridge at 5415 W. Tyson Ave., Tampa’s Salt Shack overlooks Old Tampa Bay with views of the downtown St. Petersburg skyline in the distance. Opened in 2019, it boasts a charming Old Florida feel, inviting guests to sink their toes in the sand while sipping on signature cocktails and savoring freshly caught Gulf seafood.
In 2023, it was one of three Florida dining spots to make The New York Times list of the “50 restaurants that excite us most right now.”
“Jimmy Buffett would have liked this place, where there is no problem a platter of fresh Gulf shrimp and a drink with a pineapple slice couldn’t solve,” wrote Kim Severson. The Times’ food correspondent noted that “the sprawling menu has a vague Caribbean bent, with jackfruit tacos dressed in jicama slaw and jerk burgers with fries, but the real gold is anything that lets all that great Gulf seafood shine.”
How do I report shrimp fraud?
The Southern Shrimp Alliance provides an online form to report “illegal and/or unethical sales of shrimp products, such as mislabeling, short-weighting, and wrong count.”
“In appropriate circumstances, the Southern Shrimp Alliance will forward information to state or federal regulatory agencies,” the organization notes. “Where there is no regulation of labeling (restaurants), the Southern Shrimp Alliance will compile information regarding incorrect or false labeling in support of labeling requirements. The Southern Shrimp Alliance may also contact the business establishment directly to question identified practices.”
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 96% of seafood restaurants in this Florida city falsely labeled shrimp
