CHARLESTON, S.C. — The South Carolina Shrimpers Association has filed a federal lawsuit against 25 Charleston-area restaurants, accusing them of deceiving customers by falsely advertising imported shrimp as “wild-caught” and “local.”
The suit, filed on June 13 in the District of South Carolina, claims the restaurants violated the Lanham Act and South Carolina’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, asserting that these misrepresentations hurt both consumer trust and the state’s shrimping economy.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
According to the shrimpers’ association, many establishments sold imported frozen shrimp while claiming it was harvested from South Carolina waters. This mislabeling not only misled diners but also tarnished the reputation of authentic Lowcountry shrimpers, the lawsuit claims.
“We believe our friends, family, and guests deserve the real, authentic thing — our wild-caught South Carolina shrimp,” said Bryan Jones, vice president of the Shrimpers Association…