The Georgia state legislature has passed a bill requiring restaurants to clearly label imported shrimp on their menus or with a public placard, sending it to Governor Brian Kemp to be signed into law.
“This bill simply requires that shrimp sold in foodservice establishments must be labeled as foreign imports IF they are not domestic,” State Representative Jesse Petrea, who sponsored House Bill 117, said in a social media post shortly after it passed the Georgia General Assembly. “This measure provides transparency for consumers and will benefit our GA Shrimpers.”
Once enacted, the legislation will require food establishments to note “FOREIGN IMPORTED” next to menu items that include imported shrimp or note “FOREIGN IMPORTED SHRIMP” on a publicly visible placard.
The Georgia House of Representatives passed the legislation nearly a year ago, but the state Senate only passed an amended version on 2 February 2026 in a 43-8 vote. The House then approved the amended legislation in a 159-8 vote on 11 February.
Multiple Southern states have passed laws requiring restaurants and retailers to clearly note when they’re serving imported shrimp; Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas all have enacted some version of a seafood-labeling law. The Southern Shrimp Alliance has partnered with DNA-testing firm SeaD Consulting in a campaign that has seen them sample shrimp sold at restaurants throughout the Gulf coast and along the Southern Atlantic coast. The groups have highlighted the high level of imported shrimp detected in their testing as evidence that states should adopt and enforce labeling laws.
“HB 117 demonstrates what shrimpers can achieve by advocating for this industry in their communities,” Southern Shrimp Alliance Director Blake Price said in a release.
Petrea credited the recently deceased founder of the Georgia Commercial Fishermans Association, Paige Morrison, for the bill’s passage, claiming she originally approached him with the idea for a new law and served as his expert advisor.
“Paige Morrison was instrumental in getting this bill introduced and across the finish line. Her leadership, persistence, and dedication to Georgia’s working waterfront will always be remembered by the shrimping community,” the Georgia Commercial Fishermans Association said in a social media post. “This was a team effort and a historic step forward for our industry.”
“All of us owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs. Paige Morrison and the Georgia Commercial Fishermen’s [sic] Association for substantially improving the ability to market U.S. wild-caught shrimp in the eighth most populous state in the country,” Price added. “We hope North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida will follow suit quickly.”
