A federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit brought by the South Carolina Shrimpers Association, which alleged that local restaurants had violated federal and state law in selling imported shrimp.
“We are incredibly disappointed that a judge dismissed our ‘Shrimpgate’ lawsuit, denying us the chance to present the undisputed DNA evidence of shrimp fraud in the Lowcountry,” the association said in a statement. “This ruling hurts shrimpers, consumers, and the many honest restaurants that work hard to serve you real local shrimp. Once again, it feels like big money is winning over the truth.”
The association sued roughly 40 restaurants in June 2025 after DNA testing conducted by SeaD Consulting revealed 40 of 44 restaurants tested in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A., were selling imported shrimp. The company has been conducting DNA testing of shrimp sold in seafood restaurants and festivals along the United States’ Gulf Coast, revealing many of them are selling imported shrimp. The group further claimed that many of these restaurants implied the foreign shrimp they served was actually domestically sourced, and in the Charleston testing, SeaD Consulting alleged that 40 of the 44 restaraunts “were misleading consumers in their branding, menu descriptions, or proximity to local docks.”
“This is not only deceptive but also insulting to the hardworking shrimpers whose livelihoods are being undermined,” SeaD Consulting Founder and COO Erin Williams said at the time. “It’s...
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