Shrimp lovers can be pretty confident the shrimp they order from restaurants on the southern half of the Georgia Coast was plucked from nearby waters rather than imported.

In testing conducted on behalf of the Southern Shrimp Alliance from Dec. 5-9, 2025, SeaD Consulting genetically analyzed the species and origin of shrimp served at 44 randomly selected restaurants in the Golden Isles area, including Darien, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island and Brunswick. They confirmed that 43 of the 44 restaurant dishes sampled were wild-caught American shrimp, as advertised or implied. The one restaurant that served farm-raised imports correctly identified them as such.

A basket of freshly caught Atlantic white shrimp ready to be put on ice.
A basket of freshly caught Atlantic white shrimp ready to be put on ice. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current

The Golden Isles results contrast sharply with findings from earlier this year in the Savannah area where only 10 of 47 samples from shrimp dishes served at 44 Savannah restaurants were American species. The remainder were shrimp imported from other countries.

Americans love shrimp, eating more of it than any other seafood. But over the last several decades imported shrimp, much of it farm raised, has pushed prices down. U.S. shrimpers produce less than 10% of shrimp sold in the United States, with imports from India, Ecuador and Indonesia outstripping the domestic supply. Shrimpers in Georgia and other Southeast states have struggled to stay afloat.

State Rep. Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah) in January introduced HB 117 that would require restaurants to disclose which dishes are made with imported shrimp.

“All food service establishments in this state that serve imported shrimp shall conspicuously display on their menus a disclosure by each menu item containing shrimp stating  ‘FOREIGN IMPORTED, or display ‘FOREIGN IMPORTED SHRIMP’ on placards visible to the public,” the legislation reads.

The bill made it through the house last year and Petrea expects it to be voted on by the senate in the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 12, 2026.

“We want authenticity and transparency about what’s on the plate in our seafood restaurants,” Petrea said in a prepared statement. “Consumers need to fundamentally know what they are eating.”

Golden Isles-area restaurants found to be serving American wild-caught shrimp in the 44 random samples:

1. Agio Italian & Steak, 124 Glynco Pkwy, Brunswick, GA 31525

2. B&J’s Steak & Seafood, 901 North Way, Darien, GA 31305

3. Barbara Jean’s Restaurant & Bar, 214 Mallery St, St Simons Island, GA 31522

4. Barrier Island Brewing, 1226 Ocean Blvd STE 1, St Simons Island, GA 31522

5. Basil Thai & Sushi, 1401 Newcastle St, Brunswick, GA 31520

6. Beach House Restaurant + Tap Room, 715 Beachview Dr N, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

7. Catch 228, 228 Redfern Village #100, St Simons Island, GA 31522

8. Coastal Kitchen, 102 Marina Dr, St Simons Island, GA 31522

9. Corridor Z Kitchen + Cocktails, 41 Main St #103, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

10. Crabdaddy’s Seafood Grille, 1217 Ocean Blvd, St Simons Island, GA 31522

11. The Crab Trap, 1209 Ocean Blvd, St Simons Island, GA 31522

12. Delaney’s Bistro, 3415 Frederica Rd, St Simons Island, GA 31522

13. Del Sur Artisan Eats, 321 Mallery St, St Simons Island, GA 31522

14. Dorothy’s Cocktail & Oyster Bar, 12 Market St, St Simons Island, GA 31522

15. Downtown Cooter Brown’s, 1326 Newcastle St, Brunswick, GA 31520

16. ECHO, 101 Downing St, St Simons Island, GA 31522

17. Fat & Fine Crab Seafood, 1600 Newcastle St, Brunswick, GA 31520

18. Fiddlers, 410 Arnold Rd, St Simons Island, GA 31522

19. Fish Tales Pub & Grill, 7445 Blythe Island Hwy, Brunswick, GA 31523

20. Grandy’s, 3411 Cypress Mill Rd, Brunswick, GA 31520

21. Indigo Shanty, 1402 Reynolds St, Brunswick, GA 31520

22. JB’s Shrimp Shack, 2729 US-17 Exit 29, Brunswick, GA 31523

23. Jinright’s Seafood, 2815 Glynn Ave, Brunswick, GA 31520

24. Love Shack BBQ & Yard Bird, 11 Main St, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

25. Marshside Grill, 1200 Glynn Ave, Brunswick, GA 31520

26. Michael’s Deli & Seafood, 120 Trade St, Brunswick, GA 31525

27. Mr. Shuck’s Seafood, 107 Altama Connector, Brunswick, GA 31525

28. Mudcat Charlie’s, 250 Ricefield Way, Brunswick, GA 31525

29. Palm Coast Coffee, 318 Mallery St, St Simons Island, GA 31522

30. Porch, 549 Ocean Blvd, St Simons Island, GA 31522

31. Reid’s Apothecary, 1618 Newcastle St, Brunswick, GA 31520

32. River’s Edge, 136 Marsh’s Edge Ln, St Simons Island, GA 31522

33. The Shore Restaurant, 178 S Beachview Dr, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

34. Skipper’s Fish Camp, 85 Screven St, Darien, GA 31305

35. Sunrise Diner, 5031 New Jesup Hwy, Brunswick, GA 31520

36. Sunrise Grille, 21 Main St, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

37. Three Little Birds, 509 Ocean Blvd, St Simons Island, GA 31522

38. Toucan’s Ale House, 2450 Perry Lane Rd, Brunswick, GA 31525

39. Tribuzio’s Grille, 322 Captain Wylly Rd, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

40. The Half Shell, 504 Beachview Dr, St Simons Island, GA 31522

41. The Wharf, 371 Riverview Dr, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

42. Willet’s Lowcountry, 110 Ocean Way at The Westin, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

43. Zachry’s Riverhouse, 1 Harbor Rd, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

Source: SeaD Consulting

Type of Story: News

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Mary Landers is a reporter for The Current in Coastal Georgia with more than two decades of experience focusing on the environment. Contact her at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org She covered climate and...