A joint WVUE-TV Fox and Louisiana Illuminator investigation into shrimp sold at festival and market vendors in the New Orleans area found most of the samples to be domestic.

The results could indicate retailers and event organizers are becoming more careful about how they label and present their dishes.

The samples of shrimp were collected from nine vendors at an area seafood market in early November and from five vendors Oct. 6 at the Gretna Heritage Festival. Only one of the samples, which came from a non-restaurant vendor at the Gretna Fest, tested positive as foreign. All nine samples from the seafood market were from the Gulf of Mexico, the analysis found.

The testing was performed by SeaD Consulting, a food safety technology company that recently developed a rapid seafood species identification test. Dave Williams, a Houston resident, developed the process in collaboration with Florida State University microbiologist Prashant Singh.

“I grew up in the fishing communities,” Williams said. “It’s important to me.”

Their technology examines tissue for specific DNA markers unique to a species of Asian shrimp commonly raised in aquaculture farms.

The Illuminator and WVUE-TV Fox 8 independently collected the shrimp samples and shipped them to Singh’s laboratory at Florida State, following an industry standard chain-of-custody protocol.

Last month, SeaD Consulting used its own team to collect seven samples from the inaugural Louisiana Shrimp Festival in New Orleans. Testing from that event showed all seven samples were domestic, though that was expected considering the event served as a fundraiser for local shrimpers.

Those results are a far cry from those seen at the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival in Morgan City, where four out of five vendors evaluated during the Labor Day weekend event were serving shrimp that tested positive for foreign genetic markers.

A similar story unfolded a few weeks later at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Oct. 12. Testing by SeaD Consulting at that event revealed four out of five samples were farm-raised imports.

News of the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival results sparked immediate outrage from consumers and public officials who have been trying for years to address the ongoing problem of imported seafood. State Rep. Jessica Domangue, R-Houma, publicly excoriated Shrimp & Petroleum Festival organizers for allowing its vendors to undermine Louisiana’s unique culture and “openly violate Louisiana law” for years.

Williams said he believes word of his testing has gotten out to festival and market organizers, prompting them to consider stricter rules for food vendors. He has now turned his attention to the restaurant industry, which he said has been more resistant to change.

“We don’t want to stop people promoting their product in a manner that helps them sell it,” Williams said. “So if they’re going to put boats on the wall, if they’re going to have nets, if they’re going to imply that they’re local, then, for God’s sake, serve local product.”

State laws require restaurants and anyone else selling seafood in Louisiana to label it as such, but the state never adequately funded enforcement of the laws. Ambiguity in state law prevented health inspectors from levying fines even after recording more than 2,600 violations since 2019. Lawmakers rectified that issue with legislation passed in May, calling for stricter enforcement.

Laws at the federal level have seen a recent step-up in enforcement.

Last summer, U.S. Food & Drug Administration agents arrested the owners of an iconic Mississippi Gulf Coast restaurant and their seafood wholesalers on charges related to a decades-long fish substitution scheme. The individuals pleaded guilty to felonies ranging from wire fraud to mislabeling seafood.

In the wake of that case, the Federal Trade Commission adopted new guidance in October to clarify that restaurant decor, imagery, menu descriptions and slogans that suggest their seafood is local could be illegal if the restaurant is not actually serving domestic catch, according to Reuters.

According to some estimates, upwards of 80% to 90% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. The foreign seafood industry has a number of problems. Some seafood companies have been caught using slave labor for commercial fishing and processing, and testing of imported seafood in Louisiana revealed the presence of banned veterinary chemicals that are potentially harmful to humans.

Louisiana shrimper and seafood retailer David Chauvin said the influx of cheap imported shrimp has decimated the domestic industry.

“For us to compete with imported shrimp, we can’t,” he said. “If we keep going down this road, we’ll be out of business.”

Chauvin said he believes regular genetic testing at restaurants and festivals could make a big difference for the industry. He and other shrimpers have been asking for tighter regulations for years, but he said there are many big businesses making a lot of money from the status quo. The state should at least require all state institutions, such as schools and prisons, to prohibit serving imported shrimp, he said.

Chauvin’s idea was actually included in legislation Louisiana approved in May that will take effect Jan. 1. The new law will require all local school districts, state agencies and state institutions that serve seafood to use only domestic shrimp and crawfish. It will also set much stricter country-of-origin laws for restaurants, prohibitions against vague menu descriptions, clear enforcement authorizations for state agencies and much higher fines for labeling violations by retailers and wholesalers.

Here is a look at the Top 25 Louisiana High School Football Rankings heading into the quarterfinal round of the LHSAA football playoffs: 

Playoff Seed: No. 1 (Division I select) Up next: Against No. 8 St. Thomas More (8-3)

The Cougars defeated No. 17 Huntington, 56-6. LSU receiver commit TaRon Francis had six catches for 175 yards and two scores, according to Andrew Valenti of The New Orleans Advocate. Junior quarterback John Johnson passed for 324 yards. Daejawn Smith and Oliver Mitchell each caught a TD pass. The Cougars’ defense and special teams each tacked on a TD. 

Power Rating: No. 2 (Division I select) Up next: Against No. 10 C.E Byrd (9-3)

The Trojans defeated No. 18 Evangel Christian, 49-6. LSU running back commit J.T. Lindsey rushed for 220 yards and four TDs, according to John Marcase of The Shreveport Bossier Advocate. The Trojans held Evangel to negative rushing yards and intercepted quarterback Peyton Houston three times. 

Playoff seed: No. 1 (Division I nonselect) Up next: Against No. 24 Chalmette (9-3)

The Tigers defeated No. 16 Covington, 44-13. UL Ragin’ Cajuns commit Cam Riley had multiple interceptions, according to Jake Martin of The Ouachita Citizen. Jaylon Nichols (15 carries, 109 yards) scored three touchdowns. Sophomore QB Parker Robinson was 14 for 14 passing. 

Playoff seed: No. 3 (Division I nonselect) Up next: Against No. 6 Southside (9-2)

The Bearcats defeated No. 14 Zachary, 42-21. Jordan Hayes ran for two touchdowns – one from 70 yards – and caught a TD pass from Tulane QB commit Joshua Brantley, who also ran for a score, according to T. Scott Boatright of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Brantley threw a TD pass to Darius James. It was the third straight year the teams met in the postseason with Ruston winning all three.

Playoff seed: No. 4 (Division I select) Up next: Against No. 5 Archbishop Rummel (9-2)

The Bears defeated No. 13 East Jefferson, 42-0. Rylan Parker ran for 105 yards and two TDs, according to Terry Robinson of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Jayden Miles added a rushing score. Baylor Graves threw a 66-yard TD pass to Amari Clayton as Catholic scored all of its points in the first half.

Playoff seed: No. 2 (Division I nonselect) Up next: Against No. 10 Destrehan (9-3)

The Vikings defeated No. 18 Westgate, 42-16. QB Ben Taylor ran for a score and passed for two, and DJ Allen ran for two TDs, according to Roy Lang of The Shreveport Bossier Advocate. LSU commit Kenny Darby caught eight passes for 135 yards and a TD. Senior receiver Jarvis Davis left the game with an injury. 

Playoff seed: No. 4 (Division I nonselect) Up next: Against No. 21 West Monroe (7-5)

The Wildcats defeated No. 13 West Ouachita, 45-20. Nicholls State QB commit Jackson Firmin ran for a score, and sophomore Marvin Joseph ran for another, according to William Weathers of Geaux Preps. The Central defense forced three turnovers. Joseph finished with 117 yards on 13 carries. Linebacker KD Mays returned a fumble for a TD.

Playoff seed: No. 1 (Division II select) Up next: Against No. 8 John F. Kennedy (7-4)

The Eagles defeated No. 16 Loranger, 49-14. Michigan commit Jasper Parker ran for 109 yards on 12 carries with four TDs, according to Darrell Williams of The New Orleans Advocate. Mason Wilson threw a 54-yard TD pass to Jacob Washington (also a Michigan pledge). Shaw’s opponent this week, John F. Kennedy, only lost one game on the field (to St. Paul’s).

Playoff seed: No. 8 (Division I select) Up next: At No. 1 Edna Karr (10-0)

The Cougars defeated No. 9 St. Augustine, 28-27. Senior defensive back Gavin Duplechin blocked an extra point to seal the win, according to Eric Narcisse of The Acadiana Advocate. Quarterback Cole Bergeron completed 8 of 14 passes for 104 yards and two TDs to John Avery Barton (four catches for 72 yards). Gabe Mocek and Carter Melancon combined to carry 39 times for 214 yards. Mocek ran for two scores.

Playoff seed: No. 6 (Division I select) Up next: Against No. 19 John Curtis Christian (6-5)

The Rebels defeated No. 11 Jesuit, 31-23. Junior QB Alex Munoz completed 14 of 15 passes for 169 yards with a TD to tight end Jack Purser. Munoz is 84 of 120 on the year with 1,272 yards and 13 TDs with no interceptions. Doug E Viltz rushed for 82 yards on 24 carries with two TDs. Nick Celestine caught three passes for 36 yards, according to Kevin Foote of The Acadiana Advocate. Munoz, Viltz and Cason Evans have combined for over 2,000 yards rushing.

Playoff seed: No. 5 (Division I select) Up next: At No. 4 Catholic-BR (10-0)

The Raiders defeated No. 12 McDonogh 35, 50-25. Norman Taylor ran for 177 yards on 17 carries with four TDs, according to Chris Dabe of The New Orleans Advocate. The Raiders will face Catholic-BR in the postseason for the sixth time in seven seasons. QB Generald Buggage was 7 of 9 passing for 132 yards with a rushing touchdown.

Playoff seed: No. 19 (Division I select) Up next: At No. 6 Teurlings Catholic (10-1)

The Patriots defeated No. 3 Acadiana, 28-27. QB Reggie Johnson threw the game-winning TD pass to freshman Jarvis Stevenson, according to Nick Fontenot of The Acadiana Advocate. The Patriots totaled 363 yards rushing and averaged 13 yards per carry, according to Chris Dabe of The New Orleans Advocate. Johnson ran for 169 yards on 10 carries with two scores. Jacobi Boudreaux added 138 yards on eight carries.

Playoff seed: No. 3 (Division I select) Up next: Season complete

The Rams lost to No. 19 John Curtis, 28-27. Jonah Gauthier ran for 164 yards on 27 carries with three TDs. Tayden Collins added 103 yards on 12 carries. Caden DiBetta ran for a score. Gauthier and Collins combined to score 24 rushing TDs on the year. 

Playoff seed: No. 6 (Division I nonselect) Up next: At No. 3 Ruston (9-2)

The Sharks defeated No. 22 Walker, 47-0. The Sharks notched 18 first downs to Walker’s six. Ramon Singleton ran for 136 yards and two TDs on 15 carries. Justin Williams added 84 yards on 16 carries with two scores. Singleton added two catches for 31 yards and a score. QB Parker Dies threw for a TD and ran for another. Dies, Singleton and QB Cruz Holden combined to complete 4 of 5 passes for 82 yards and a score.

Playoff seed: No. 10 (Division I nonselect) Up next: At No. 2 Airline (11-0)

The Wildcats defeated No. 7 Northwood-Shreveport, 63-21. Malachi Dabney scored five TDs, according to Lori Lyons of The Shreveport Bossier Journal. Jabari Mack and Greg Wilfred each caught a TD pass, and LSU receiver commit Phillip Wright ran for a score. The Wildcats have won seven straight games with QB Jackson Fields back in the lineup. Destrehan will be making back-to-back trips to the Shreveport-Bossier area.

Playoff seed: No. 14 (Division II nonselect) Up next: At No. 6 Plaquemine (11-1)

The Tigers defeated No. 3 Jennings, 30-19. Senior tailback D’Shaun Ford ran for 265 yards and two TDs. The Tigers’ losses were to Teurlings Catholic, Alexandria and Zachary. Opelousas led the undefeated Trojans by two scores early. 

Playoff seed: No. 18 (Division II nonselect) Up next: At No. 7 North DeSoto (9-3)

The Bulldogs defeated No. 2 Lutfcher, 49-41. Diesel Solari completed 13 of 21 passes for 206 yards and three TDs. Braylon Calais ran for 113 yards on 15 carries with two TDs. Solari added 96 yards rushing and two TDs on 15 carries. Ellis Stewart totaled 104 yards and a TD on six touches. Brent Gordon and Jermaine Davis combined to catch five passes for 102 yards and two TDs.

Playoff seed: No. 5 (Division III select) Up next: at No. 4 Jewel Sumner (10-1)

The Panthers defeated No. 12 Amite, 39-14. QB Dillon Compton threw three first-half TD passes for Cain Milligan, according to Fast Break ENT. Compton was 10 of 15 passing for 195 yards and four TDs, according to LaMar Gafford of Cenla Preps. He also ran for a score. Zion Lee rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries. Jateren Gaines added 92 yards on 12 carries with two TDs.

Playoff seed: No. 10 (Division I select) Up next: At No. 2 Alexandria (11-0)

The Yellow Jackets defeated No. 7 St. Paul’s, 37-15. Desmond Simmons ran for 167 yards on 30 carries with a TD, according to Joseph Halm of The New Orleans Advocate. QB Harrison Ayres completed 5 of 6 passes for 82 yards and added 30 yards rushing and two scores on eight carries.

Playoff seed: No. 21 (Division I nonselect) Up next: At No. 4 Central-BR (10-1)

The Rebels pulled off their second upset by defeating No. 5 Mandeville, 20-9. Ranaldrick Myles and Kedrian McNeal combined for 209 yards rushing on 28 carries with two TDs, according to Dave Woodall of The New Orleans Advocate. QB Ryder Dejean completed 3 of 6 passes for 37 yards.

Playoff seed: No. 1 (Division III select) Up next: Against No. 9 Lafayette Christian (6-6)

The Tigers defeated No. 16 Parkview Baptist, 42-0. Sophomore QB Elijah Haven accounted for 406 yards and four TDs, according to Patrick Wright of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Trevor Haman caught seven passes for 128 yards and two TDs. 

Playoff seed: No. 7 (Division II nonselect) Up next: Against No. 18 Cecilia (9-3) 

The Griffins defeated No. 10 Belle Chasse, 38-14. Cole Cory continued to shine since his return from injury, catching two TD passes and returning a kick 56 yards, according to Lee Hiller of The Shreveport Bossier Advocate. Luke Delafield was 15 of 20 passing for 205 yards. Kenny Thomas ran for 107 yards on 23 carries with two TDs. Cory finished with seven receptions for 114 yards.

Playoff seed: No. 5 (Division II select) Up next: Against No. 13 Istrouma (9-3)

The Chargers defeated No. 12 St. Charles Catholic, 34-20. Tylan Johnson was 10 of 13 passing for 125 yards and two TDs, according to Charles Salzer of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Alfred McKnight ran for 180 yards and two TDs. Madison Prep, which led 21-0 at halftime, takes on Istrouma in a matchup of north Baton Rouge schools whose campuses are separated by 2.1 miles. 

Playoff seed: No. 2 (Division II nonselect) Up next: Season complete

The Bulldogs lost to No. 18 Cecilia, 49-41. Trenton Chaney ran for 194 yards and three TDs on 24 carries, according to Reed Darcey of The Baton Rouge Advocate. QB Zach Jenkins rushed for 118 yards on 25 carries with three TDs. He passed for 75 yards and didn’t throw an interception this season.

Playoff seed: No. 1 (Division IV select) Up next: Against No. 8 St. Edmund (10-1) 

The Eagles defeated No. 16 Westminster Christian-Opelousas, 47-17. QB Jonathan Dartez ran for 199 yards and had a hand in six TDs. The senior has rushed for 2,119 yards and 34 TDs on 239 carries with 1,360 yards passing (19 TDs, two INT).