Amid rising issues nationwide over seafood fraud, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Competition has emerged as a uncommon vibrant spot within the murky world of shrimp sourcing.

A brand new spherical of genetic testing discovered that just about each shrimp dish offered at this yr’s Jazz Fest was made with real U.S. wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf — a putting distinction to most eating places throughout the South.

The research, performed by SeaD Consulting utilizing its RIGHTTest genetic evaluation software, examined 19 shrimp-based dishes from distributors on the 2025 pageant.

Of these, 18 had been verified to comprise genuine Gulf shrimp. Just one dish, from a vendor whose different choices handed the check, was discovered to make use of imported shrimp. The check was funded by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, a nationwide advocacy group for home shrimpers.

“It is a large second of pleasure for New Orleans,” stated Dave Williams, founding father of SeaD Consulting. “We discovered distributors doing the best factor — not as a result of they needed to, however as a result of it issues to them, to the neighborhood, and to the tradition of this metropolis.”

Not like eating places, short-term meals distributors in Louisiana will not be legally required to reveal whether or not their shrimp is imported or farm-raised. That makes the Jazz Fest findings much more outstanding: Distributors selected to help the native business on their very own.

The result’s a convincing present of solidarity with Louisiana shrimpers, who face steep competitors from cheaper imported shrimp, usually farmed below questionable labor and environmental situations.

The distributors discovered serving wild-caught Gulf shrimp span each nook of the pageant grounds — from shrimp bread and gumbo in Meals Space One, to Vietnamese shrimp skewers in Heritage Sq. and shrimp ceviche tostadas within the Cultural Change Village.

The timing couldn’t be higher for Louisiana’s seafood business. The inshore shrimping season is about to start, and the business is preventing an uphill battle. In different components of the nation, seafood fraud is rampant.

Simply weeks earlier than the Jazz Fest, SeaD Consulting performed comparable assessments at 44 randomly chosen eating places in Wilmington, North Carolina—a coastal metropolis celebrated for its seafood scene.

There, 34 eating places (77%) had been discovered to be serving imported, farm-raised shrimp, at the same time as menus and servers recommended it was contemporary and native. Solely 10 institutions handed the authenticity check.

“In Wilmington, the seafood fraud fee is staggeringly excessive,” stated John Williams, government director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “Eating places are deceptive clients, hurting the native financial system, and undermining the exhausting work of American shrimpers.”

The SSA has been funding shrimp testing throughout seven Gulf and Southeastern states as a part of a broader marketing campaign for transparency. Preliminary findings present that seafood mislabeling happens in 78% of circumstances in states with out seafood origin labeling legal guidelines. Even in states with such legal guidelines, fraud charges stay troubling at 36%.

The distinction between New Orleans and Wilmington underscores how cultural establishments like Jazz Fest can drive change. By voluntarily selecting Gulf shrimp, Jazz Fest distributors have proven that integrity and native pleasure can information sourcing choices—even within the absence of regulation.

“There’s no disgrace in promoting imported shrimp,” stated Dave Williams. “However there’s an enormous downside once you fake it’s native. Let customers resolve—with the reality.”

The Southern Shrimp Alliance says it hopes different occasions and eating places will comply with Jazz Fest’s instance. Till then, diners are inspired to ask questions, request sourcing particulars, and help institutions that prioritize transparency and native suppliers.