COLUMBIA, SC — South Carolina dining establishments serving foreign imported shrimp must now explicitly inform customers of the origin on their menus and at public entrances following new legislation signed by Gov. Henry McMaster.
The measure, ratified as House Bill 4248 and known as the Truth in Shrimp Labeling Act, creates S.C. Code Section 39-25-175 to establish standardized consumer disclosures across food service businesses. Under the new law, any restaurant, food truck, cafeteria, or commercial kitchen offering shrimp products must display specific language identifying whether foreign seafood is served on the premises.
Establishments stocking both wild domestic shrimp, defined as shrimp caught and landed in United States waters and foreign imported product must publish the disclaimer: “Some items served at this establishment may contain foreign imported shrimp. Ask for more information.” Restaurants serving exclusively foreign imported shrimp must state: “Some items served at this establishment contain foreign imported shrimp. Ask for more information.”
The regulation requires the statements to appear directly on physical and digital menus, as well as on clear signage posted at primary customer entrances.
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture oversees administrative enforcement and compliance inspections statewide. First-time violations trigger a written warning alongside a mandatory three-day grace period to rectify non-compliant signage or menu listings. Subsequent non-compliance carries daily civil administrative fines ranging from $100.00 to $5,000 per violation.
Legislators crafted the bipartisan bill to bolster transparency across coastal dining markets and address severe market pressure on regional commercial fishing fleets. Local shrimpers across the Palmetto State have faced mounting economic strain in recent years from inflated operational costs, diesel prices, and a surplus of inexpensive, farm-raised seafood imported from overseas markets.
Commercial fishing advocates anticipate that mandatory point-of-sale origin disclosures will allow consumers to make informed purchasing choices while supporting regional dock landings.
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