Saving Seafood

As Trump escalates trade war, analysts tell shippers to expect the unexpected

February 14, 2025 — U.S. president Donald Trump announced that he would impose reciprocal tariffs on the nation’s trading partners on 13 February, prompting numerous trade experts to predict higher prices for American consumers. 

Shortly after Trump announced the measures, Capital Economics, a global financial analytics firm, told the New York Times that it “predicts that the effective tariff rate on all U.S. imports could rise from less than 3 percent now to around 20 percent.” The effective tariff rate is the percentage of the price of imported goods that goes toward paying tariffs. 

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Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen’s friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish

December 13, 2024 — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes for one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy — seafood — and some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs.

Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive to consumers. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on government deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks that are already in peril.

Read the full article at WNKY

Experts predict US container ports will see a surge in imports, higher prices through spring 2026

December 11, 2024 — Experts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Hackett Associates, and container price tracking service Container XChange are predicting a surge in imports and price hikes into major U.S. container ports that are likely to last at least a year, citing President-elect Trump’s proposed tariffs and a possible resumption of strikes along the East and Gulf coasts as primary reasons. 

“Either a strike or new tariffs would be a blow to the economy, and retailers are doing what they can to avoid the impact of either for as long as they can,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said in a release. “We hope that both can be avoided, but bringing in cargo early is a prudent step to mitigating the impact on our industry, consumers, and the nation’s economy.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Trump’s tariff proposal on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China would affect over USD 5.6 billion in seafood

November 27, 2024 — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump proposed big hikes in tariffs on all goods from Canada, Mexico, and China on 25 November in a move that would affect one-fifth of all U.S. seafood imports by value.

Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, said he would charge tariffs of 25 percent on all products from Mexico and Canada and 10 percent tariffs on goods from China – above any existing tariffs.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Southern Shrimp Alliance wants US to maintain tariffs on Chinese imports

July 5, 2022 — The Southern Shrimp Alliance has called on the U.S. government to continue a 25 percent tariff on Chinese seafood imports, saying the additional levy has helped domestic producers “compete on a more-level playing field.”

The trade organization made its stance known in a Thursday, 30 June letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Four years ago, former U.S. President Donald Trump implemented Section 301 tariffs on an array of Chinese goods in response to that country’s policies regarding intellectual property and technology transfer. The U.S. government is currently conducting a two-phase review of the action, with Tuesday, 5 July the cutoff date for comments.

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US Court of International Trade orders second look at China tariffs

April 5, 2022 — The U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) has ordered the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to take a second look at its decision making on thousands of Section 301 tariffs levied against Chinese goods.

The 71-page decision by the court, released 1 April, 2022, stems from a lawsuit filed in 2020 by a company that specializes in vinyl flooring. Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.A.-based HMTX Industries and its affiliated companies filed a complaint with the CIT challenging the authority of former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and the “unlawful escalation” of the trade war with China.

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U.S. reinstates China seafood tariff exclusions

March 28, 2022 — The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced it has reinstated tariff exclusions on 352 products, including several seafood products facing additional tariffs on import from China.

The administration of President Joe Biden announced in October 2021 that the USTR would begin taking comments on whether the U.S. should renew tariff exceptions for 549 products from China, which the government chose to let expire. Initially, the USTR extended tariff exclusions on multiple seafood products in 2020.

“The Office of the United States Trade Representative today announced its determination to reinstate certain previously granted and extended product exclusions in the China Section 301 Investigation,” the USTR announced. “The reinstated product exclusions will apply as of October 12, 2021, and extend through December 31, 2022.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

USTR reinstates expired tariff exclusions for certain seafood products

March 24, 2022 — The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced it has reinstated tariff exclusions on 352 products, including several seafood products facing additional tariffs on import from China.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden announced in October 2021 that the USTR would begin taking comments on whether the U.S. should renew tariff exceptions for 549 products from China, which the government chose to let expire. Initially, the USTR extended tariff exclusions on multiple seafood products in 2020.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource