Louisiana readies steep fines for sellers of mislabeled seafood

CHICAGO, June 26, 2026 — Louisiana is cracking down on seafood processors and distributors that misidentify fish products made with a blend of imported and domestically caught fish as 100% U.S.-sourced. 

Under a law that takes effect Aug. 1, any link in the supply chain that mislabels commingled fish items sold within the state as purely American-sourced will be subject to an initial fine of $15,000, a penalty of $25,000 for a second offense, and a fee of $50,000 for every infraction thereafter.  

Current law only penalizes sellers who try to pass off imported fish as domestically caught. Commingled seafood items represented a loophole. 

The new measure, signed into law last month by Gov. Jeff Landry, is intended to help the state and local jurisdiction’s beleaguered fishing industry. The local trade has been stung by soaring diesel-fuel prices, a result of the war with Iran, and cheaper imported fish being sold as locally caught but at a much lower price. 

Authorities have attempted to eradicate the counterfeiting through sourcing-identification requirements and more accurate testing methods. Yet, with seafood prices soaring, attempts to pass off less-costly imported versions have continued. 

A spot-check of the shrimp sold by 44 New Orleans restaurants as American-caught found that 25% of the places were actually using imports. The research was commissioned by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade group made up of shrimp fishermen and processors from eight coastline states.