January 2, 2020 — U.S. President Donald Trump said he will sign the so-called “Phase One” trade deal with China, first announced on 13 December.
Trump said on Twitter he would sign the deal on 15 January at the White House. He also announced plans to travel to Beijing for negotiations on Phase Two at an unspecified later date.
December 19, 2019 — Language contained in a short, somewhat vague document included as part of the so-called “phase one” US-China trade agreement announced Friday — but not widely publicized — hints at some positive developments coming soon for US seafood harvesters, processors, wholesalers and exporters, Undercurrent News has learned.
But the seafood industry will likely have to wait another month for the details.
Under the heading of “expanding trade”, the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s two-page fact sheet, handed out to stakeholders, says China has committed to exceeding its 2017 purchase of US goods and services by no less than $200 billion, including “manufactured goods, food, agricultural and seafood products,” among other things.
It further adds that the increase should “continue on this same trajectory for several years after 2021 and should contribute significantly to the rebalancing of the US-China trade relationship.”
December 13, 2019 — The United States and China announced an agreement in which China will make structural reforms to its trading policies and strengthen its intellectual property protections in exchange for a reduction of current and proposed U.S. tariffs.
The U.S. will cancel its plan to implement another round of tariff increases later this month, and will reduce its 15 percent tariffs to 7.5 percent on USD 120 billion (EUR 107.9 billion) worth of Chinese goods. It will leave in place 25 percent tariffs on an additional USD 250 billion (EUR 224.8 billion) of Chinese imports, however, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The USTR did not identify which goods would see reduced tariffs.
December 12, 2019 — There has been a marginal rise in seafood consumption across the 28 E.U. member states, with growth supported by increases in both the domestic supply and imports, the latest analysis published by E.U. fish processors and traders association AIPCE-CEP has found.
According to the “Finfish Study 2019,” total E.U. consumption climbed to almost 12.9 million metric tons (MT) in 2018, equating to 25.1 kilograms per capita. It also calculated that 62.5 percent of the seafood products eaten by Europeans that year were imported.
December 12, 2019 — The changing climate and a seemingly unending round of trade wars are putting the squeeze on Maine’s lobster industry.
As the Gulf of Maine warms at a rapid pace, the lobster population seems to be shifting its location. At the same time, increased Chinese tariffs on lobster, imposed in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on an array of imports from China, have cut Maine exports into that lucrative market sharply.
Demand for lobster hasn’t disappeared in China, but most of it is now being filled by Canadian dealers, frequently shipping lobsters imported from Maine.
To help fishermen combat these pressures and diversify the New England seafood industry, Food Export USA–Northeast recently organized a three-day trade mission to Dubai for several Maine lobster dealers.
Traveling to the city, one of the United Arab Emirates on the shore of the Persian Gulf, said Tim Hamilton, executive director, Food Export USA-Northeast, were representatives from Greenhead Lobster Co. in Stonington, Maine Coast Lobster in York and Ready Seafood in Portland.
Also on the trip were representatives of Island Creek Oysters, a Massachusetts-based oyster grower.
“One way to counter what’s happening in the world today is to diversify export markets for all Northeast U.S. seafood products,” Hamilton said. “Our programs, services and promotional activities around the world can help suppliers do that.”
Dubai and countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) represent a potentially rich export market opportunity for Northeast U.S. seafood suppliers. In 2018, U.S. seafood exports to six GCC countries (the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) amounted to $14.4 million, while total U.S. food and agricultural exports to that market comprised $3.3 billion, so U.S. seafood exports are only about a half a percent of total U.S. food exports.
December 2, 2019 — Exporters in China’s key tilapia producing region of Hainan have been able to hold onto their sales to the United States despite ramped-up tariffs now reaching upwards of 25 percent, according to Alno Wu, head of overseas sales at Hainan Sky-Blue Ocean Foods Co (SBO).
Wu said firms like his, a vertically integrated firm processing tilapia in Hainan Province, are doing so thanks to lower prices, which they have been able to offer due to a surge in production across the province. Projections of stricter enforcement of environmental regulations leading to lower production have not come to pass, as thus far, Hainan has gotten greater leeway in implementation than other regions, according to Wu.
November 15, 2019 — Lobster from Stonington, Maine’s biggest lobster harbor, used to travel around the world. Now, because of issues with tariffs in both Europe and China, much of the catch stays closer to home. So far, fishermen haven’t felt the loss of export business in their paychecks, but many know that Maine’s signature seafood needs the most comprehensive market possible to make the most money.
Longtime fisherman Mike Billings watched the dock crew unload his day’s catch, and said exports are needed.
“My grandfather, I fished with him when I was a kid, and he said if we could just get the lobsters out to the rest of the world, not just this country, we could get a decent price for them. “
Maine has had an export market for many years, but that business started growing significantly as lobster dealers were able to open up the market to China. According to figures from the Maine International Trade Center, exports of live lobster to China grew from 26 million pounds in 2014 to a high of 56 million in 2017. Dealers like Hugh Reynolds of Greenhead Lobster say the business was heading for more growth, primarily the live lobster market.
November 15, 2019 — The global distant-water fishing industry benefits just a handful of fishing countries, while capturing the bounty of coastal nations that often have poor governance and limited resources.
A new report published by the Stimson Center identifies the top distant-water fishing fleets in the world, where they operate, and their connection to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The report argues that the current distant-water fishing industry is unsustainable, and makes concrete recommendations for how to increase transparency and accountability.
November 8, 2019 — Ten percent of China’s seafood is spoiled during transit from producer to consumer, according to new research by a Chinese business consultancy.
Spoilage rates at 10 percent is higher than the equivalent rate for meat – eight percent – but lower than the figure for vegetables, at 20 percent, according to the research by Shenzhen-based Qian Zhan Industry Research Institute.
November 6, 2019 — Among the sea of Chinese companies exhibiting a huge variety of species and equipment at the China Seafood Expo in Qingdao, China, one thing was in greater abundance in 2019 than ever before: Displays showcasing products certified to a sustainability scheme.
Certifications – like that of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification – have been catching on in the world’s most populous country, with multiple China-based companies now holding a certification of some kind. The number of products, too, showcasing certifications has increased rapidly.