TAMPA, FL – A recent investigation by SeaD Consulting that found that dozens of restaurants in Tampa are lying about using locally caught shrimp and instead importing it from other places is once again shining a light on Tampa’s food scene and diners who do not demand better from chefs and restaurants. Tampa cannot expect to really be a true Michelin star town when people are not even concerned about where their food is coming from.

Former Tampa Bay Times food critic Laura Reiley proved in 2016 investigation that several popular restaurants were lying to customers about organic food. Several of those restaurants did not close, but actually expanded their operations after being exposed for essentially lying to their customers about where their food is coming from. I would suspect that the same is true about this shrimp investigation.

In the latest re-test, only three out of 22 restaurants were found to use locally shrimp, according to FOX 13. Salt Shack on the Bay was the only restaurant to pass both tests. SeaD Consulting claims the shrimp from most restaurants is imported, farm-raised shrimp from countries, such as India, Vietnam, and Ecuador.

SeaD currently holds the patent, in partnership with Florida State University, 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.

“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,” said John Williams, executive director of the Tarpon Springs-based Southern Shrimp Alliance.

“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.”

You would think with the prices of seafood today in Tampa restaurants, they would be more honest with diners. You would be wrong though. It is unfortunate that a list was not released of who exactly is not selling local shrimp by SEAD so diners could be more informed.

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) and SeaD Consulting are calling on lawmakers in Florida and across the gulf to tighten rules around sourcing shrimp to help local fisherman who say they are in dire straits against imported shrimp. Although mislabeling is illegal, there are currently no laws to enforce this.

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About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 15 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats (https://www.carloseats.com​​​) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics.