Nungesser Weighs in on Mislabeled Shrimp Served in Baton Rouge

(KMDL-FM) Louisiana's Lieutenant Governor, Billy Nungesser, issued a response to an article recently published about several Baton Rouge-area restaurants selling and serving mislabeled shrimp. The article specifically mentioned Nungesser because of his close connection to Louisiana's Seafood Industry and tourism.

Chris Graythen, Getty Images

Both of those industries are vital to Louisiana's economic survival. In the article, the question was raised: Is the Lieutenant Governor's office doing enough, or doing anything, to show support for Louisiana's shrimping and fishing families?

Billy Nungesser Responds to Concerns About Mislabeled Shrimp in Louisiana

Before we share Lt Governor Nungesser's response, let me recap what started the conversation. The Southern Shrimp Alliance hired SeaD Consulting to perform genetic testing on shrimp samples served at Baton Rouge area restaurants.

READ MORE: Baton Rouge Restaurants Caught Misrepresenting Shrimp to Diners

The Southern Shrimp Alliance represents shrimp fishermen, processors, and related businesses in Louisiana and the seven other warm-water shrimp-producing states. The reason for the testing was to verify which restaurants were serving American wild-caught shrimp, which restaurants weren't serving American wild-caught shrimp, and, most importantly, which restaurants said they were serving American wild-caught shrimp but were, in fact, serving an inferior imported product.

a frying pan filled with cooked shrimp

For me, as a proud supporter of Louisiana agriculture and the many fishing families that harvest shrimp from the Gulf, the misrepresentation of American wild-caught shrimp was just too egregious not to bring up in a public forum. And yes, we challenged Lt. Governor Nungesser because he is in a position to do something.

Here is Lt. Governor Nungesser's response:

Good afternoon, Bruce:

This is my response to your article “Nearly One In Four Baton Rouge Restaurant Shrimp Dishes Misrepresented To Customers” published on August 27, 2026:

Louisiana is proud of the progress we are making to protect our fishermen, our seafood industry, and consumers. But this fight is far from over.

The numbers show that enforcement is working. The Louisiana Department of Health has actively enforced seafood labeling requirements in restaurants. The results show violations involving unlabeled imported shrimp and crawfish in restaurants dropped nearly 80% from January 2025 to January 2026. At the same time, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry has also inspected 1,790 seafood packages at 136 locations statewide, resulting in 23 instances of noncompliance and 18 stop orders affecting 724 packages that had to be removed and/or corrected.

I take this issue personally. I grew up in the seafood industry, watching my father operate a seafood canning facility. I know firsthand how hard Louisiana fishermen and seafood businesses work, and I know what is at stake when foreign products are allowed to compete unfairly with Louisiana seafood.

That is why I fought for and supported Louisiana’s new seafood laws, which strengthen labeling requirements, testing and enforcement, and give our state additional tools to protect consumers and Louisiana fishermen. These laws are already making a difference, but they are a foundation, not the finish line.

I have also been working through the National Lieutenant Governors Association to advance resolutions calling for stronger seafood inspections, greater transparency, and better protections for American fishermen. Louisiana has a responsibility to lead this effort, both here at home and at the federal level.

We will continue listening to our fishermen, identifying gaps, and pushing for stronger enforcement and accountability throughout the seafood supply chain.

I welcome a conversation with any member of the media covering this issue and would encourage you to reach out to my office so I can provide my perspective and the facts behind the work Louisiana is doing to protect its seafood industry.

Thanks!

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser

First, thank you for your response, and thank you for the passionate reply. Thank you for highlighting the behind-the-scenes actions that you and other leaders around the Gulf South and the nation are taking on behalf of our hard-working fishing families.

Nungesser on Louisiana Seafood Labeling - Making Progress, But Far From Done

I will walk back the "you need to better by the people of Louisiana" comment, because your efforts are quite noteworthy, but the problem, as you suggested in your comments, still isn't resolved. But thanks to your explanation, we, the people of Louisiana, know our leaders aren't just sitting on their hands.

READ MORE: Restaurants in Louisiana's Major Cities Busted - Mislabeled Shrimp

And yes, I will be reaching out to your office so we can work together on solidifying the protections Louisiana and American fishing families need. In the meantime, we, as lovers of Louisiana seafood, have to do our part.

The first thing we need to do is get rid of the ambiguity of this sign.

Submitted Photo via SeaD Consulting

As easy as it is to "Blame Billy," it's not the right thing to do, nor is it the correct thing to do. We, as consumers, need to challenge Louisiana restaurateurs on the seafood they serve. When you sit down to order, you need to ask: Is this American wild-caught, or is this imported?

What Does Louisiana Law Say About Proper Seafood Labeling?

Louisiana restaurants are required to have that information posted, but you still need to ask because signs sometimes tell lies. Which raises another question, at least for me: why isn't the Louisiana Restaurant Association all over this?

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Sure, imported seafood is cheaper, and it increases your profit margin...once. Because if you serve wonky shrimp, people will not be returning, and you give the entire state of Louisiana and our seafood a bad name.

And that's not only bad for Louisiana's seafood industry; it damages our reputation as a food destination, which lowers our tourism income, which means some college program at some university will have to be cut because education is always the first thing we throw out when we're tossing the baby out with the bathwater, right?

READ MORE: The Bizarre Louisiana Tradition of 'Shrimp Calling' Explained

Protect Louisiana Shrimp: ask your server, ask your favorite restaurateur, send a note to Billy Nungesser, don't let the cheap imports destroy a tradition that so many generations built from the marsh up.