59 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com other boats, they tie up to the dock and end the season, not interested in the small margins produced compared to the effort and money required to fish faraway shores. Imported shrimp have dealt a significant blow to the local shrimp industry; something that Magwood added is surprising to many people. “If you’re sitting at a restaurant and looking at a shrimp boat as you eat shrimp, don’t just assume the shrimp you’re eating came from here. Ask if they are! Many times, they’re not.” In June, the results of a genetic testing investigation by SeaD Consulting were released and determined that 90% of the restaurants where shrimp were swabbed had been serving imported shrimp but were deceivingly promoting them as local shrimp through branding, menu descriptions or proximity and view of local shrimp boats. “This is not only deceptive but also insulting to the hardworking shrimpers whose livelihoods are being undermined,” said Erin Williams, founder and COO of SeaD Consulting. “It’s decimating the entire regional economy and culture they’ve worked for generations to build and promote.” Imported shrimp, Magwood explained, are usually farmed and may contain antibiotics, pesticides and chemicals. “I make sure my customers have the freshest, safest product available. They are American, wild-caught and we just wash them and ice them down,” he said. “Friends don’t let friends eat imported shrimp.” The best way to help our local shrimping community, he recommended, is to support the shrimpers and the restaurants who truly sell American, wild-caught shrimp. The SC Shrimper’s Association maintains a list of restaurants who serve local, wild-caught South Carolina shrimp on their website at scshrimp.org/our-partners. There is also a QR code with information about buying local shrimp located at the statue of legendary Captain Wayne Magwood on Shem Creek. Some restaurants not listed on that website may still support the American, wild-caught industry but serve shrimp from other states. SeaD Consulting and those in the shrimp industry are calling for legislation on transparency and labeling, but in the meantime, the firm recommends that consumers not only ask where their shrimp is coming from, but request proof by seeing the box and the words “wild-caught U.S.” “For those of us still in the shrimping industry, we’re doing it because we love it, not for the money. We’re out there working to support our families and keep our customers happy,” Magwood smiled. “When you love something, you have to fight for it, and that’s what I’m doing. Fighting to help our local shrimp industry thrive again.” the islands Magwood’s Pride on Shem Creek.
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