Saving Seafood

Trump administration touts National Scallops Day designation, Georges Bank territory opening

July 13, 2026 – – The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is touting its designation of National Scallops Day, the opening of the Northern Edge of Georges Bank to scallop fishing, and permit stacking as a means of boosting the fishery.

The administration recently sent a deregulatory wish list to regional fishery management councils, which included a range of different recommendations like modernizing fleet capacity in the area managed by the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council and shifting the management of red snapper away from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

White House Video on the Atlantic Scallop Fishery

July 10, 2026 — This afternoon, White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro posted a video on X noting that “.@POTUS is protecting our scallop industry by opening up the Northern Edge of Georges Bank off the coast of New England.”

In the video, Mr. Navarro says:

President Trump is making American fishing great again. The latest example is scallops. America has the largest wild scallop fishery in the world. Atlantic scallops are a premium American protein, yet imports now supply roughly 85% of what Americans consume by weight. While the scallop trade deficit approaches 59 million pounds, $390 million. Only Washington could call that conservation. The insanity is clearest on Georges Bank. Canada lawfully harvests scallops on its side of the line, while American boats remain locked out of the adjacent U.S. northern edge by regulators.

In 2024, Canada landed more than 7 million pounds of scallops from Georges Bank, roughly the same amount America imported from Canada. That’s not a supply problem. That is a policy failure. President Trump and NOAA are moving to fix it by restoring lawful science-based access to the Northern Edge of Georges Bank. And they’re tackling another bad piece of scallop math: the one permit, one boat rule. Today, scallop boats can sit in ports for about 11 months a year. Permit stacking would let the same lawful harvest be taken with fewer idle boats, lower costs, and a stronger American fleet. No higher catch limit, no overfishing, just common sense.

More American scallops, more American jobs, less dependence on foreign seafood. How do you like them scallops?

Watch the video here

Trump administration aims to cut regulations on US commercial fishing

July 2, 2026 — The Trump administration moved to slash commercial fishing regulations from coast to coast on Thursday, including reopening New ‌England waters to scallop fishing that was banned after overfishing.

“We’re opening the Atlantic and the Pacific, and the American consumers are going to benefit from what we’re doing now,” White House adviser Peter Navarro said in a briefing with reporters.

The Commerce Department and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced regional ​priorities that the government said were designed to revitalize the seafood sector.

It was not clear how NOAA planned to ​implement these priorities or how long it would take, given their scope.

Read the full article at Reuters

China unlikely to consider lowering of lobster tariffs, despite Trump’s threat

June 11, 2020 — On Friday, 5 June, at a meeting with commercial lobstermen from the U.S. state of Maine, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on imported Chinese and European Union goods if they did not eliminate their tariffs on U.S. lobsters.

At the meeting, Trump appointed U.S. Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Director Peter Navarro the task of identifying additional Chinese and European products to hit with tariffs as a means of pressuring Beijing to eliminate all tariffs on American lobsters.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

American seafood industry may see jobs boost thanks to White House regulation

May 8, 2020 — America’s seafood industry just got a vote of confidence from the White House after President Trump issued an Executive Order aimed at creating jobs for the nation’s fishermen.

“It will create tens of thousands of jobs in our seafood industry and also keep millions of Americans more healthy and safe,” said White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro during an appearance on FOX Business’ ‘The Evening Edit’ while noting, “It will unleash our commercial fisheries in a way that is good for America” he added.

U.S. fish farms produce $1.5 billion a year, compared with $140 billion in China, according to the White House.

Navarro, along with Joe Grogan, outgoing domestic policy advisor to Trump who drove the E.O., penned an Opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, highlighting America’s chance to capitalize on our vast oceans surrounding the nation.

Read the full story at FOX Business