Industry representatives in Canada’s East Coast seafood sector are expressing relief as the federal government has excluded U.S. fish and seafood products from its list of counter-tariffed items. This decision was announced late Wednesday following feedback received by the government. The move came after the government initially imposed counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods in response to the new 50 percent tariffs imposed by the U.S. over the weekend when trade negotiations faltered.
The revised list excluded seafood products, which were initially subject to a 25 percent tariff. This change was welcomed by industry leaders who were concerned about the potential negative impact on the seafood business, which had not been involved in the trade conflict until the recent announcement.
Gilles Thériault, former president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association, expressed relief on behalf of the Atlantic fisheries industry. The industry’s integration across borders was highlighted by Nat Richard, executive director of the Lobster Processors Association, representing 25 processors across the Maritimes. The interdependence was emphasized, especially during the short Canadian lobster fishing season when American-caught lobster is processed in Canadian plants before being exported back to the U.S.
The removal of the tariffs was crucial for the economic viability of Canadian processing plants, as stated by Kris Vascotto, executive director of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance. Joanne Losier, executive director of New Brunswick Crab Processors, expressed concerns about potential retaliatory measures and emphasized the importance of maintaining smooth trade relations with the U.S., especially for snow crab exports.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, along with industry representatives, had raised concerns about the seafood tariffs earlier in the week. The government’s decision to remove them from the list was met with approval. Despite this adjustment, the government reiterated its commitment to maintaining a proportional response to U.S. products. Additional items such as copper wire and charcoal have been added to the list to uphold the dollar-for-dollar impact, with tariffs set to take effect on September 8.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne explained that the decision to update the tariff list was made in response to feedback from Canadians and was deemed necessary in Canada’s best interests. The minister did not directly address questions regarding the implications of the decision on relations with the White House.
