The Port Arthur Area Shrimping Association gathers biannually at the Port Arthur Seafarers Center, where they discuss any problems they might be having or any industry updates. (Cesar Cardenas/The News)

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Gulf Coast shrimpers, seafood advocates, and state legislators gathered this week at their bi-annual Port Arthur Area Shrimpers Association meeting to rally support for stronger truth-in-advertising laws to protect the Gulf’s shrimping industry from deceptive labeling practices harming local harvesters. 

The meeting comes at the end of the shrimping season and the end of the recent Texas Legislative session, where shrimpers received some legislative victories. During the meeting, State Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson detailed her months-long effort to pass legislation requiring accurate labeling of shrimp in restaurants and grocery stores.

 “I had to be your voice because you were out working and doing what you do every day,” Leo-Wilson told shrimpers.

Despite widespread support from committee members and public testimony, the three bills faced significant opposition from major retailers and representatives of the restaurant industry, resulting in repeated delays.

Leo-Wilson explained that she and her allies worked to find alternative paths in the legislature, including enlisting Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, to carry a companion bill in the senate and gaining critical support from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and (former) House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont. These efforts ultimately led to a compromise measure advancing through the legislature, but she noted the final bill did not secure mandatory menu labeling that would disclose whether shrimp is imported or domestic, a priority that advocates plan to revisit in future sessions.

She stressed the importance of continued advocacy, adding, “It was your stories that impacted me. It was your stories that impacted legislators when they sat down; most had no idea what was happening.”

Industry representatives and shrimpers shared concerns about imported shrimp falsely labeled as a Gulf product, undercutting prices and threatening the viability of family-owned operations. Dave Williams of SeaD Consulting described efforts to expose widespread mislabeling through DNA tests of restaurant shrimp, revealing that many establishments claim to serve Gulf shrimp but actually sell cheaper imports. 

Speakers said they will continue fighting for clear menu labeling requirements, regional cooperation among Gulf states, and broader public awareness about the benefits of buying authentic, domestic shrimp.

Shrimpers and advocates left the meeting with a renewed sense of solidarity and determination to return to the state Capitol next session to push for stronger protections for their industry and coastal communities.