Wild Georgia Shrimp: The Authentic Taste of Our Coast

If you’ve ever bitten into a plate of shrimp on the Georgia coast and thought, “This must be fresh off the boat,” you might be surprised. For years, tourists (and plenty of locals) assumed the shrimp on their plates came from our waters, when in reality, much of it was pond-raised and imported from halfway around the world.

That realization is what sparked something special back in the late 1970s. The Georgia Shrimp Association, a nonprofit made up of the hardworking folks who crew our boats, run our docks, and process our catches, came together to protect the livelihood that defines so much of coastal life here. Their goal was simple: keep our shrimping tradition alive and thriving in the face of cheap imports and shifting regulations.

Shrimpers in Darien, GA

By 2004, they took it a step further, launching the Wild Georgia Shrimp brand, a promise that what you’re eating truly comes from our waters. This wasn’t just about marketing; it was about pride. With cooperation from local captains, unloading facilities, processors, and distributors, they built a certification program to guarantee authenticity. When you see that Wild Georgia Shrimp label, you know those shrimp were caught by real Georgia shrimpers, not farmed overseas.

Wild Georgia Shrimp

Wild Georgia Shrimp are produced by one of the few highly sustainable fisheries. They cannot be over-fished. There is no over-fishing in our industry. Shrimp are prolific spawners that only live approximately one year. The shrimpers producing Wild Georgia Shrimp are mandated to install Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) that must be 97% effective in releasing incidentally captured live sea turtles from their nets to achieve and maintain federal certification. TEDs not only free sea turtles, but release anything greater than 4 inches in width, such as large fish, crab, sharks, rays and other sea creatures. Shrimpers are also mandated to install Bycatch Reductions Devices (BRDs) to allow smaller fin-fish that manage to slip through the TED the ability to escape.

And if you’ve ever tasted the difference, you know why it matters. Wild Georgia Shrimp are sweet, firm, and full of that unmistakable Georgia flavor… the kind you just can’t fake. They’re the flavor of our marshes, our tides, and generations of shrimpers who’ve worked the Atlantic coast long before the word “sustainability” was trendy.

So next time you’re at a restaurant on the coast, take a moment to ask where your shrimp came from. If it’s Wild Georgia Shrimp, you’re not just enjoying a meal—you’re supporting a local tradition, a coastal economy, and the flavor that defines the Golden Isles.

Where to Find Wild Georgia Shrimp

If you want to eat or buy truly local shrimp—not just claim it—here are some trusted spots, restaurants, markets, and online options that support the Wild Georgia Shrimp certification. (List updated Sept 2025) (Anchored Shrimp Co.)

🍤 Restaurants & Markets That Serve Wild Georgia Shrimp

These spots buy directly and consistently from the certified fisherman. There may be others. I apologize if I left anyone off.

Saint Simons Island, GA

Jekyll Island, GA

Brunswick, GA

Other Georgia Towns

  • The Market by Dent Farms — Jesup, GA
  • Captain Stan’s Smokehouse — Woodbine, GA
  • Cottle & Gunn — St. Mary’s, GA
  • Farm to Family — St. Mary’s, GA

🛒 Online & Retail / Wholesale Options

If you can’t visit the coast, here are ways to get Wild Georgia Shrimp delivered: