February 20, 2026 — The U.S. Supreme Court has found U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify his tariff program was illegal, invalidating a huge swath of tariffs.
But, how businesses will get a refund for those tariffs is still unclear.
February 19, 2026 — A group of U.S. lawmakers has asked the federal government to provide financial support to the nation’s struggling shellfish sector, which they claimed has been hit hard by increased tariffs.
“Tariffs and retaliatory tariffs have led to higher consumer prices, altered supply chains, reduced availability, higher equipment costs, and market instability for farmers of all kinds, including shellfish growers,” the lawmakers said in the joint letter dated 6 February. “In the last year, our strongest trade partners have launched retaliatory tariffs against the United States, causing uncertainty and hurting geoduck, oyster, and other shellfish industries many of our communities rely on as lifelines.”
February 9, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order following through on a trade deal with India he announced in early February, reducing U.S. tariffs on the country to 18 percent.
Trump first announced the new trade deal with India on 2 February, which he said came after a discussion with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Just four days later on 6 February, he formalized the deal with an executive order, cutting reciprocal tariffs on the country to 18 percent from the previous 25 percent and eliminating a separate 25 percent ad valorem tariff implemented in August 2025 against India over its purchases of Russian oil.
February 6, 2026 — The International Pacific Halibut Commission set the 2026 harvest at a historic low during an annual meeting that drew a Trump Administration political appointee to lead tense U.S. negotiations with Canada over shares of a shrunken fishery.
The four-day late-January gathering in Bellevue, Washington came during a time of tumultuous relations between the two nations.
President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and blustering talk of making Canada part of the United States have spurred widespread anger among Canadians. January has been particularly volatile, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, attacked “coercion” by great powers, while Trump, in a subsequent speech, asserted that “Canada lives because of the United States.”
At the Bellevue halibut meeting, Drew Lawler, a political appointee to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, served as the non-voting head of the U.S.delegation.
In private talks sandwiched between public parts of the meeting, the U.S. delegation threatened economic sanctions, and successfully pressured Canadians to trim the British Columbia share of the halibut harvest, according to sources with knowledge of these discussions.
The commission is charged by a more than century-old treaty with conserving Pacific halibut. There are three voting representatives from the United States, and three from Canada.
February 2, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new trade deal with India that will see the U.S. lower reciprocal tariffs on goods from the country from 25 percent to 18 percent and potentially remove a separate 25 percent tariff related to India’s imports of Russian oil.
In a post on his social media site Truth Social, Trump said he spoke with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 February and struck a deal which will see India purchase USD 500 billion (EUR 424 billion) in U.S. energy, technology, agriculture, coal, and other products. In return, Trump said the reciprocal tariff lodged against India – which was set at 25 percent as of 1 August – will be reduced to 18 percent.
January 29, 2025 — The European Union and India have agreed to a massive free trade agreement (FTA) that will slash or eliminate tariffs on most goods.
“The E.U. and India make history today, deepening the partnership between the world’s biggest democracies,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a release. “We have created a free trade zone of 2 billion people, with both sides set to gain economically. We have sent a signal to the world that rules-based cooperation still delivers great outcomes. And, best of all, this is only the start; we will build on this success and grow our relationship to be even stronger.”
January 16, 2026 — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the country has reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that will cut Chinese tariffs on key seafood items like lobster and crab.
Canada has faced an additional 25 percent tariff in China on a range of seafood products including halibut, crabs, lobster, clams, and shrimp since 20 March 2025. The tariffs were made in response to a 100 percent Canadian tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum products from China.
December 12, 2025 — U.S. seafood import firms Mark Foods and Bristol Seafood have filed lawsuits over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff program, following the lead of fellow seafood companies Netuno USA and Bumble Bee.
New York City, New York, U.S.A.-based Mark Foods and Portland, Maine, U.S.A.-based Bristol Seafood filed separate lawsuits against the U.S. government, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott in the U.S. Court of International Trade.
November 17, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:
The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) applauds the Administration for moving to ease tariffs on some foods. While seafood is the healthiest animal protein on the planet, rising costs have put it out of reach for many families. We urge the President to include all seafood in tariff adjustments. This is critical to lowering consumer prices, maintaining American jobs in the seafood sector and keeping Americans healthy and fed.
Additionally, NFI appreciates the Administration’s success in continuing to expand markets for American seafood globally.
The plan to improve access for high quality U.S. seafood products through the application of zero duties in both Switzerland and Liechtenstein will have a positive impact on American companies and is in lockstep with the roadmap laid out in the President’s executive order regarding seafood competitiveness and economic growth.
NFI supports efforts to strengthen cooperation in global seafood trade and make America’s seafood community stronger.
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO
October 24, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is terminating all trade negotiations with Canada, the U.S.’s largest seafood trading partner, in response to a television advertisement featuring a quote from former President Ronald Reagan.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, said he was terminating the trade negotiations and that the Ronald Reagan Foundation “announced that Canada fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.” The foundation had posted an update online saying it was “reviewing its legal options” on the advertisement, which directly quotes a real address by Reagan publicly available online.