COLUMBIA, S.C. — Diners across South Carolina should start seeing notices about where their shrimp came from. The Truth in Shrimp Labeling Act, House Bill 4248, took effect Wednesday and requires food service businesses to tell customers when the shrimp on the plate was imported.
Sit-down restaurants are not the only ones affected; cafeterias, food stands and food trucks must comply too. A place that serves any foreign shrimp has to post a notice at its main entrance and, if it has one, on its menu. Businesses that mix domestic and imported shrimp must say that some dishes may contain imported shrimp and invite customers to ask, while a business that serves only imports must state plainly that some items contain it. Places serving only domestic shrimp, meaning shrimp harvested and brought ashore in the United States, need no sign.
The S.C. Department of Agriculture handles enforcement. A first violation brings a warning and three days to fix the problem. After that, civil fines run from $100 to $5,000 for every day a violation continues.
Gov. Henry McMaster signed the measure in June, and it kicked in 120 days later. Lawmakers moved it after a wave of scrutiny this year, when roughly 40 Lowcountry restaurants faced questions over claims that imported shrimp was local.
Coastal shrimpers have pushed for the change for years, arguing that cheap imports undercut boats working South Carolina waters. Fishermen in McClellanville say clearer labels give local catch a fairer shot with customers, and some restaurants already advertise local shrimp on stickers and social media.
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