Under new legislation, restaurants prep to post origin country for shrimp

Sea Wolf head chef Justin Waldman prepares a dish with fresh local shrimp at his restaurant on Tybee Island, Ga., Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (Justin Taylor/The Current GA/CatchLight/Report for America via AP) 2026-08-19T19:22:18Z Coastal Georgia is known for its hospitality as well as its shrimp-abundant waterways and estuaries. However, not all restaurants along the coast source their seafood from local waters, while allowing people to assume they do. Foreign imports have flooded the market in the United States, selling farm-raised shrimp for lower prices and making it difficult for local shrimpers to compete. A new state law, House Bill 117 , took effect on July 1, turning the tide for both Georgia shrimpers and the state’s restaurants. The bill requires that all Georgia restaurants, excluding those operated by a state agency, disclose whether the menu items they serve contain foreign imported shrimp. The disclosure can be labeled either on the menu or on signs visible to the public. While HB 117 has officially been signed into law, it will not be enforced until January in order to give restaurants time to prepare. Chefs and restaurant owners around downtown Savannah, many food service establishments who sell imported shrimp say they are in no hurry to update their menus. State Rep. Jesse Petrea, who represents parts of Chatham and Bryan counties, sponsored HB117. Petrea drafted the bill with the intent of providing transparency for consumers to make informed decisions about the seafood that they choose to buy. “There’s a lack of information by consumers,” said Petrea, “and what you discover, if you dig superficially, is that we have huge problems with foreign imports having a multitude of things that cause them to be sent back.” According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 94% of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, with shrimp being the most popular seafood product in the nation. Although federal programs serve to ensure the safety of our food, foreign imports are sometimes flagged or recalled by the FDA as unfit for consumption. (