DNA tests raise questions about shrimp labels at Outer Banks restaurants

DNA testing is challenging shrimp-label claims at restaurants in the Outer Banks, raising questions about whether diners are getting genuinely U.S.-caught wild shrimp. SeaD Consulting, working for the Southern Shrimp Alliance, DNA-tested shrimp from 22 restaurants in June that advertised wild-caught American shrimp; only 11 were accurately labeled. The results improved from December, when 44 restaurants were tested and 16, or 36%, passed. In North Carolina, fewer than 300 commercial shrimpers remain, down from about 1,000 in the mid-1990s, with roughly $15 million hauled in during 2024. SeaD does not name the 11 failing restaurants but says six consistently served genuine wild-caught American shrimp in both rounds. The report argues mislabeling is “difficult to identify” and may occur at the restaurant level, while noting North Carolina lacks state seafood-labeling rules compared with places like Louisiana.