2019
Wednesday May 8, 1:00 pm PST
US shrimp group backs Trump on tariffs
The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) Wednesday lauded Trump's decision to increase tariffs on Chinese shrimp imports to 25 percent, part of the products included in the $200 billion (€178.9 billion) worth of imports subject to the tariffs starting Friday.
"The Southern Shrimp Alliance has consistently advocated for the imposition of additional tariffs through the President’s Section 301 authority on imports of farmed seafood originating from China," it said. "In written filings to the USTR (US Trade Representative), the Southern Shrimp Alliance documented the long history of contaminated shipments of farmed seafood to the US market from China, along with the prevalent, unregulated use of antibiotics in Chinese fish and shrimp farming. "
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Wednesday May 8, 12:30 pm PST
Will it ever end?
The Trump administration is moving forward with a 25 percent tariff on $200 billion (€178.9 billion) worth of Chinese imports that include several key seafood species, set to take effect Friday.
On Wednesday the US Trade Representative's office filed paperwork to formally raise tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent.
And while he claims the tariffs are hurting China, some experts say seafood importers, and ultimately consumers, are the ones actually paying the price.
The news has also sent the stock market into a panic.
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Tuesday Jan. 8, 1:30 pm PST
Maine smoked salmon biz in jeopardy due to shutdown
The owner of Sullivan Harbor Farm, an artisanal seafood smoking operation in Hancock, Maine was on track to reopen this month.
But the federal government shutdown has prevented her from receiving final approvals from the Food and Drug Administration, leaving the business in limbo, according to Mainebiz.
"C’mon DC. Figure this out! Many businesses like ours are caught in this political trap," its owner Leslie Harlow, wrote on Facebook in December.
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Tuesday Jan. 8, 12:56 pm PST
NEFMC is open for business (sort of)
The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) said in an email Tuesday while its staff are able to work during the shutdown, many of its federal partners, including NOAA and GARFO, are not.
"Since many GARFO and NEFSC scientists and fishery management specialists are key contributors to the Council’s Plan Development Teams (PDTs) and provide critical input and analyses during Committee meetings, the Council is rescheduling or modifying the agendas of several meetings where NOAA Fisheries representatives were expected to provide pivotal presentations, reports, and/or analyses," the group said.
A revised schedule of the group's meetings can be found here.
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Friday Jan. 4, 10:52 am PST
Alaska pollock season is in jeopardy from the ongoing shutdown
While Alaska's Pacific cod fishery opened on time Jan. 1, other key US fisheries -- including the Alaska pollock fishery -- could face delays if the protracted US government shutdown continues to drag on.
Like a range of other US agencies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been running on a skeleton crew as a result of a US government shutdown.
Read how industry associations are planning to tackle season amid the uncertainty.
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2018: A year of Trump tariff trouble
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 3:37 pm PST
United States and China decide to halt higher tariffs (for now)
The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) welcomed the decision between China and the US to stop the imposition of tariffs as high as 25 percent on Chinese imports.
"The growing middle class in China is an important export market for US seafood products. At the same time, raw material from China fuels production of finished seafood products here," NFI President John Connelly said. "When it comes to seafood, the relationship between the US and China has historically been symbiotic. Tariffs damage that partnership."
Click here to read the full story.
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Tuesday, Dec. 4, 06:00 am PST
Canadian lobster reaping rewards of US-China battle
Beijing’s trade spat with the United States has cleared the path for Canada’s Atlantic lobster exports to take center stage, but whether catches and prices hit the mark remains to be seen for the 2018 season.
Canadian producers have seen exports to China ramp up significantly since China’s 25 percent import tariff was imposed on US lobsters, July 6.
Click here to read the full story.
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Nov. 28, 06:00 am PST
Doing fine, thank you
Maine is seeing strong demand for lobster tails heading into the holidays, and consumers are willing to pay higher prices.
US President Donald Trump's trade war with China did not decimate the US lobster market over the course of the summer as some feared, when China levied 25 percent import tariffs on live lobster from the United States.
"A lot of people were forecasting the industry was going to collapse because of China tariffs. But in fact, the prices paid to fishermen were higher,"John Norton, founder and president of Maine-based Cozy Harbor Seafood, told IntraFish.
Click here to read the full story.
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Tuesday, Nov. 27, 12:25 pm PST
How will US scallop market be hit?
The impact of the stated initial 10 percent US-imposed tariff on scallops from China along with the impending 25 percent tariff set to take effect in January could result in a more competitive global market, scallop sources told IntraFish, putting further pressure on prices.
Click here to read the full story.
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Thursday, Nov. 15, 12:11 pm PST
Question marks in Qingdao
Tariffs and supplies were top of the agenda for plenty of seafood companies at the China Seafood Expo.
Click here to read our full coverage of the event.
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Friday, Nov. 9, 13:25 pm PST
Bracing for impact
US import tariffs will have a significant impact on High Liner's bottom line next year, the company told analysts during a conference call following the release of its disappointing third-quarter results.
High Liner estimates US import tariffs imposed on China could add $10 million (€8.8 million) to its costs, and told analysts it plans to recoup those costs through price increases.
Click here to read the full story.
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Tuesday, Sept. 25, 4:25 pm PST
Songa CEO: US will be main loser from shrimp tariffs
The US will be the main loser from Trump administration imposed tariffs, Rodrigo Laniado, CEO of Ecuadorian shrimp producer Songa told delegates at the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) conference in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
"I think a trade war is good for other countries other than the US," Laniado said.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Friday, Sept. 21, 3:35 pm PST
US pollock producers: Trump tariffs will benefit Russia
US tariffs imposed Monday on $200 billion (€170 billion) worth of imports from China pose a substantial threat to Alaska pollock producers.
That was the message Stephanie Madsen, executive director of the pollock catcher-processor trade group At-Sea Processors Association, sent to the Office of the US Trade Representative Aug. 31 in response to policies the group said are "creating stiff headwinds for export dependent Alaska pollock companies."
Click here to read the full story.
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Thursday, Sept. 20, 11:23 pm PST
Starkist CEO endorses tuna tariffs for China
Tuna giant Starkist is fully supporting the Trump administration's additional tariffs on tuna being imported into the United States from China.
Andrew Choe, president and CEO of Starkist, submitted comments to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer Sept. 6, stating the company "supports the government's proposed assessment of additional duties on Chinese-origin tuna and tuna products as an effective means to pressure the Chinese government to change its actions."
Click here to see what else he had to say.
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Thursday, Sept. 20, 11:12 pm PST
Chicken of the Sea facing double-whammy from seafood and aluminum tariffs
The top executive at Thai Union-owned Chicken of the Sea said in comments submitted to the US Trade Representative earlier this month that tariffs instituted last week by the Trump Administraion would add upwards of $5.8 million (€4.9 million) in costs, "dramatically" hurt sales and weigh on the seafood industry's efforts to pursue sustainable sources of seafood.
In the letter outlining the company's case during the comment period prior to the administration's decision, Chicken of the Sea President and CEO Valentin Ramirez said the now-official tariffs would "have a dramatic impact on sales" since prices would inevitably be absorbed by the company or passed onto consumers, potentially driving down consumption.
Click here to get the full story.
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Thursday, Sept. 20. 10:55 pm PST
Troubled times for breaded shrimp
Breaded shrimp prices could rise more than five times in the US market and hurt jobs and consumers should the Trump administration push on with proposed tariff hikes on seafood, according to claims made in public comments to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
In its submission, China's Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products, which trades under the name of Sunnyvale Seafood in the United States, detailed an extensive list of reasons its products should not be included on the list of tariffs being imposed on Chinese seafood by the Trump administration amid an escalating trade war with China.
Click here to read the full story.
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Thursday, Sept. 20, 10:45 pm PST
Tuna tariffs threaten Bumble Bee's business
In written testimony to the US Trade Representative’s office (USTR), US tuna canner Bumble Bee Seafoods told the government the tariff on “tuna loins will have a devastating effect on Bumble Bee given that our business model is to import tuna loins for further processing and canning in the US by American workers.”
The tariffs could lead to additional costs that could result in Bumble Bee being forced to close a factory, the company wrote in its letter to the USTR. The trade action will also lead to higher prices at the consumer level for canned and shelf-stable tuna products.
Click here to read the full story.
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Thursday, Sept. 20, 09:45 am PST
Are trade routes shifting?
The United State's escalating trade war with China is sparking fears in Canada that it will be used as a "gray market" route to the Chinese market for lobsters from Maine.
The Lobster Council of Canada cites indications that Maine lobster is coming into Canada and then being sent onwards to China.
Click here to read the full story.
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Thursday, Sept. 20, 06:45 am PST
New trouble for tilapia in the US
US consumers' declining appetite for tilapia could be further aggravated as a result of the ongoing trade war between the United States and China.
Tilapia is included in a nearly 200-page list of of approximately $200 billion (€171.3 billion) worth of Chinese imports to the United States that will be subject to additional tariffs that start at 10 percent beginning Sept. 24 and increase to 25 percent by January.
Don Kelley, who manages seafood imports from China, Vietnam and Latin America for US-based Western Edge Seafood, told IntraFish the 10 percent tariffs will not have much of an effect on US consumers, since the economy is strong, but the additional 15 percent could cause shifts.
--Rachel Sapin
Click here to read the full story.
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Wednesday, Sept. 19, 10:34 pm PST
Will Indian seafood exporters gain from Trump tariffs?
Seafood exporters in India are expecting to see more business opportunities in the United States once President Donald Trump's new tariffs come into force, reports Business Standard.
Exporters said that the imposition of additional tariffs will lead to increased demand from India due to better prices.
In 2017, the US imported roughly $2.7 billion (€ 2.3 billion) worth of Chinese seafood of which roughly $1 billion (€ 855.4 million) was comprised of farmed seafood.
"As on date, India is the largest exporter of seafood to the US," said Rajen Padhi, director general of Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a seafood consultant. "If China's supply to supermarkets and food institutions of US drops, automatically, Indian products will be preferred."
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Monday, Sept. 17, 11:30 am PST
US unveils final list of China tariffs
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its final list on Monday of approximately $200 billion (€171.3 billion) worth of Chinese imports that will be subject to additional tariffs.
Frozen Alaska pollock and frozen cod fillets seem to have escaped the final list.
Click here to read the full story.
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Wednesday, Sept. 13, 8:00 am PST
US-China talks resume
China and the United States moved closer on Thursday to resuming high-level trade talks, the South China Morning Post reports.
The publication hailed the development as a "promising sign that the rapid escalation of their trade war could be slowed or even halted."
Click here to read the full story.
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Wednesday, Sept. 12, 8:45 am PST
Fortune Fish CEO: Tariffs will drive down seafood consumption
Tariffs on Chinese seafood imports are a "tax increase on the US consumer that will lead to lower consumption," said Sean O'Scannlain, president and CEO of the Fortune Fish Company in Illinois.
O'Scannlain made his remarks at a press conference Wednesday launching "The 'Tariffs Hurt the Heartland" campaign to protest proposed 25 percent hikes by the Trump administration on imported seafood and many other goods as part of an escalating trade war with China.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Wednesday, Sept. 12, 6:42 am PST
NFI joining 'Tariffs Hurt the Heartland' campaign
The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) is joining forces with more than 80 leading US trade associations representing thousands of businesses to protest the Trump administration-imposed tariffs on Chinese imports.
The formation of Americans for Free Trade, a multi-industry coalition, is aimed at opposing tariffs and highlighting the benefits of international trade to the US economy.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Tuesday, Sept. 11, 7:00 am PST
The slide begins
Although US lobster exports are still tracking higher for the year through July, the first signs of the Trump administration's trade war with China appeared in the monthly US government trade data released last week.
Exports of lobster to China fell 32 percent in July from 368 metric tons in July 2017 to 250 metric tons this July.
Clearly, exporters rushed to get shipments to China in June, when US lobster exports to the Asian nation hit 721 metric tons, an increase of 115 percent over July 2107 export figures.
For the first seven months of the year, lobster exports climbed sharply to 16,829 metric tons worth $253.8 million (€218.9 million), a rise of 35.7 percent in volume and 27 percent in value, respectively.
China was the primary beneficiary of the exports.
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Sunday, Sept. 9, 11:30 pm PST
New opportunities for non-US seafood exporters
Non-US exporters of seafood to China are reaping unexpected benefits from tariff tensions, reports China.org.cn.
Salmon exports from Chile doubled year-on-year in the first six months of this year. From January to June, China's purchases of Chilean salmon reached nearly 24,000 metric tons from 12,000 metric tons in the same period last year.
Thailand is also bullish about the export potential of its seafood to China, which has reduced seafood imports from the United States following the trade row.
The Thai Ministry of Commerce said the country's seafood exporters, especially those dealing in fresh and frozen shrimp and crab, have benefitted from the shift in the China market's demand from the US to Thailand.
Last year, China imported seafood worth $2.5 billion (€2.2 billion) in total from across the globe, including $150 million (€129.8 million) worth of Thai seafood.
Until recently, salmon was the United States' biggest item on its list of seafood exports to China, with its value reaching $318.5 million (€275.7 million) last year, according to a report by investment research firm Zacks.
Maine lobster, Alaska crab and California squid have seen their prices rise in China, which has benefitted seafood exporters from other countries, opening up opportunities for suppliers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mozambique, Mexico and Jamaica.
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Friday, Sept. 7, 6:25 pm PST
Trump threatens more tariffs
US President Donald Trump said Friday he is preparing more tariffs on a further $267 billion (€231.1 billion) on Chinese imports, reports Wall Street Journal.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Fargo, North Dakota, he said they are ready to go and could be rolled out on short notice, reinforcing earlier threats and signaling no end in sight for the growing trade dispute.
The tariffs would be in addition to the tariffs on $200 billion (€173.1 billion) in Chinese goods the administration has been preparing, which he said will "take place very soon, depending on what happens."
The public comment period ended Thursday on proposed tariffs that could range from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, including multiple seafood items.
Trump said the timing of the tariffs is not yet final. “[It] could take place very soon depending on them -- to a certain extent it depends on China," he said, before adding; “I hate to say this, but behind that there is another $267 billion ready to go on short notice if I want. That changes the equation.”
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Tuesday, Aug. 28, 5:23 pm PST
Threat of tariffs bite in China
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) said the threat of US retaliatory tariffs against Chinese seafood goods is causing buyers in China to hold off purchases, reports Alaska Public.
In the ongoing trade war between China and the United States, the Trump administration is considering a list of retaliatory tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. On that list is a 25 percent levy on seafood imported from China, including Alaska products reprocessed in the country.
Jeremy Woodrow at ASMI said even the possibility of tariffs is already causing Chinese fish buyers to hold off on purchasing seafood from Alaska, which may create a backlog of frozen product in the United States.
He said processing any backlog domestically would be costly both in terms of labor and in the volume the state exports.
“It’s easy to assume that we would keep that product here in the US, but the unfortunate part is that there might not be the capacity to process that product in the United States."
However, demand for Alaska’s seafood is high and other countries may fill the void left by Chinese buyers. At least one major processor confirmed to the news site that other foreign buyers are picking up some of that slack.
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Tuesday, Aug. 28, 6:12 am PST
US importer fears impact of 'diabolical' Trump tariffs
Proposed tariffs on Chinese seafood imports into the United States are coming under fire from frozen importer and distributor Crocker & Winsor Seafood.
The proposed measures do not leave much room for companies that rely heavily on seafood imports, specifically from China, Rob Hallion, president of Crocker & Winsor, told IntraFish.
Click here to read what Hallion had to say.
--John Evans
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Monday, Aug. 27, 8:45 pm PST
Alaska senator speaks out against Trump
If the Trump administration is serious about putting “America First,” then it must consider what the proposed 25 percent tariff on Chinese products will do to the Alaskan seafood industry.
That was the message Republican US Senator Dan Sullivan delivered on Aug. 23 at a public hearing held by the US International Trade Commission.
Sullivan said he had been supportive of the administrations overall goal to address China's "unfair and non-reciprocal trading practices.
"However, sometimes the tactics are misguided or can have unintended consequences on the very Americans the administration is trying to help," he said, particularly when it relates to seafood.
Sullivan said nearly $1 billion (€859.4 million) in US seafood ultimately destined for American consumers is being targeted by the tariffs.
“If this were Chinese fish, harvested by Chinese fishermen on Chinese vessels, then perhaps I would understand,” Sullivan said. “But it isn’t and Alaskan fishermen are the ultimate American small business: They work hard, are family-owned and take tremendous risks to produce a great product.
"The mere proposal of these tariffs have already engendered uncertainty by seafood companies and caused cancellations and delay,” he said.
In addition to impacting seafood that ultimately ends up on American plates, the tariff talk is also causing China and other countries to consider getting seafood from other sources, including Russia, Sullivan said.
As roughly 60 percent of the US seafood is caught in Alaska, the uncertainty about exports will have a tremendous impact on his state.
“The current proposal advantages Chinese and Russian fishermen over American fishermen and I am sure that was not the administration’s intent,” Sullivan said. “I respectfully request that you change it.”
Click here to read Sullivan's full testimony.
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Wednesday, Aug. 22, 3:02 pm PST
NFI takes to Capitol Hill to defend seafood sector
The Trump Administration's proposed $200 billion (€172.6 billion) trade action against China will harm American seafood workers, upset global seafood supply chains, make US seafood exporters less competitive and spur further Chinese retaliation.
That's the message being delivered Wednesday in testimony by National Fisheries Institute Vice President for Government Affairs Robert DeHaan before the US Trade Representative (USTR) during hearings held at the International Trade Commission (ITC).
Click here to read the full story.
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Friday, Aug. 10, 12:20 pm PST
ASMI steps in
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is preparing a a draft letter to the Office of the US Trade Representative about the importance of Alaska seafood to try to convince President Donald Trump to refrain from imposing steep tariffs on China.
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Thursday, Aug. 9, 10:00 am PST
More US seafood leaders fear and loathe potential tariff impacts
The chorus of officials from the US seafood industry voicing their fears about potential trade tariffs is growing stronger by the hour.
Today, the Wall Street Journal wrote an in-depth story on how US seafood companies could be impacted if Trump imposes a 10 percent tariff on an estimated $900 million (€779 million) worth of fish and seafood that is imported to China, processed and then shipped back to the US in the form of fishsticks and other value-added products.
Sean O’Scannlain, president of Chicago-based Fortune Fish & Gourmet, which imports about 330,000 pounds of squid, tilapia and snow crab each year from China, said customers would not take orders with a 10 percent tariff.
He told WSJ he has increased orders from China to try to get ahead of the tariffs.
The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) is also gearing up to fight Trump potentially imposing a 25 percent tariff on some seafood imports from China. An NFI lobbyist will testify before the International Trade Commission on Aug. 20 to argue against them, The Boston Globe recently reported.
NFI recently launched a new campaign to humanize the US seafood industry with a series of interviews on its website that drives home the importance of imported seafood to US small business owners.
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Tuesday, Aug. 7, 10:30 pm PST
US finalizes next China tariff list
The United States will begin collecting 25 percent tariffs on another $16 billion (€13.8 billion) in Chinese goods on Aug. 23, the US Trade Representative's (USTR's) office said Tuesday.
The tariffs target 279 imported product lines, mainly applying to a range of Chinese electronics, plastics, chemicals and railway equipment, reports Reuters on MSN.
The latest list brings the total Chinese imports that face a 25 percent tariff to about $50 billion (€43 billion) in a rapidly escalating trade war that could eventually slap duties on all goods traded between the world's two largest economies.
Trump has also threatened 25 percent tariffs on another $200 billion (€172.2 billion) worth of Chinese goods, and possibly another $300 billion (€258.3 billion) worth, in his administration's quest for changes to China's intellectual property, market access and industrial subsidy policies.
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Monday, Aug. 6, 6:10 am PST
NFI: Trump tariffs will cost seafood jobs
The National Fisheries Institute told IntraFish the US seafood industry is facing job losses, which will cause knock-on effects for businesses and communities beyond the sector, because of the escalating trade war with China.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Friday, Aug. 3, 2:14 pm PST
China targets fish oil, smoked salmon
China on Friday announced a $60 billion (€51.7 billion) list of US goods that include smoked salmon and fish oil for retaliation if Trump proceeds to more than double his own proposed tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
Click here to read the full story.
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Thursday, Aug. 2, 12:07 pm PST
China looks to make amends with Norway
While Trump is threatening China with 25 percent tariffs these days, China's trade relationship with Norway is getting better, reports the South China Morning Post.
Meeting on the sidelines of a regional forum in Singapore, Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi told Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide relations were getting back on track, the news site reports.
Free-trade talks between China and Norway should be sped up, the Chinese government’s top diplomat told his Norwegian counterpart, according to the news site.
That would be good news for Norway's largest salmon producers that include Marine Harvest, SalMar, Leroy, Norway Royal Salmon and Grieg.
China boycotted Norwegian salmon after Norway awarded dissident Ai Wei Wei the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
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Wednesday, Aug. 1, 10:35 pm PST
Trump ups pressure on China
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered his administration to consider more than doubling proposed tariffs on $200 billion (€172 billion) worth of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent.
The increased duty would be applied to the proposed list of products announced on July 10.
Click here to read the full story.
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Monday, July 27, 6:13 pm PST
Murkowski questions administration over impacts of seafood tariffs
During a Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee hearing recently, US Senator Lisa Murkowski questioned US Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer on the administration’s plans to ensure the country's trade policy allows seafood producers to thrive, citing China’s recently announced 25 percent tariff on American seafood imports.
“It has clearly rattled my state [Alaska]," she said. "Our seafood industry is the No. 1 private industry in terms of the jobs and the economic opportunity it brings.
"Last year with our salmon exports about 40 percent of our salmon went to China over the last five years, it’s been about a half of our salmon has been exported to China," she said.
"And it’s not just the salmon. With cod, 54 percent of our cod [exports] last year went to China. So this is very, very significant to us,” she added. “We’re still trying to figure out what exactly what this means not only to our fishermen, but to the processors, the logistics industry – all aspects of the seafood supply chain.
"And then the 10 percent retaliatory tariffs that were announced just last month put even more pressure on our seafood processors because many of our fish and shellfish that are harvested in the state are then processed in China before reimporting back to the US for domestic distribution.
"So, in many ways were looking at this and it is in effect, imposing a 10 percent tax on our own seafood. Which is just a tough one to reconcile.”
Senator Murkowski questioned Lighthizer on the administration’s plans to ensure our trade policy allows seafood producers to thrive, specifically asking how can the administration can give that assurance to the seafood industry that is not only critical to Alaska, but to so many of the United States' coastal states.
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Friday, July 27, 6:10 am PST
High Liner says it will work around US tariffs
Expressing its opposition to new US trade tariffs, Canada's High Liner Foods is vowing to do whatever it can to help customers manage any impact from the simmering trade dispute between the United States and China.
Click here to see what the company had to say.
--John Evans
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Thursday, July 26, 10:20 pm PST
Democrats press Trump for tariff relief for fishing industry
Democratic members of Congress are urging the Trump administration to compensate fishermen hit with losses as a result of President Donald Trump's escalating trade disputes with China and other countries, reports Boston 25 News.
The group, led by Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, points to the administration's announcement Tuesday that it will provide $12 billion (€10.3 billion) in emergency relief to help American farmers hurt by foreign retaliation to Trump's tariffs.
The five members of Congress said Wednesday in a letter to Trump the fishing industry is getting hit by administration tariffs on steel and aluminum imports needed for boats, fishing hooks, and lobster and crab traps -- and by the 25 percent retaliatory Chinese tariff on 170 American seafood products.
The group said the assistance wouldn't be needed if not for Trump's trade policies.
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Wednesday, July 25, 11:11 pm PST
Brazil aims to double US tilapia exports on back of Trump tariffs
Brazilian tilapia exports to the US could double over the next 12 months helped by the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs on Chinese products, according to aquaculture trade body Peixe BR.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Wednesday, July 25, 5:30 pm PST
Analyst: Trump tariffs could cost High Liner $24 million
The latest round of US tariffs imposed on Chinese seafood imports could cost Canada's High Liner Foods as much as as much as $24 million (€20.5 million).
The worst case scenario was laid out in a note to clients of BMO Nesbitt Burns by Analyst Jonathon Lammers.
Read this article to hear what he had to say.
--John Evans
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Wednesday, July 25, 2:43 pm PST
No emergency relief for Maine's weary lobster industry
The lobster industry in Maine is not likely to see any aid itself from the $12 billion (€10.2 billion) US President Donald Trump has proposed to help American farmers caught in his escalating trade war.
"We have not received any information on aid to the lobster industry," Annie Tselikis, executive director of the Maine Lobster Dealers' Association, told IntraFish. "We have advocated for aid to support the industry at this time, even though we view this as a temporary solution to a much bigger problem of market access and the competitive advantage Canada now has in the EU and China."
The Maine congressional delegation is trying to figure out how the funding is being allocated, Tselikis said.
US Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts is part of a group of Democratic senators urging Trump to compensate fishermen affected by the trade war, the Associated Press reports.
--Rachel Sapin
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Tuesday, July 24, 9:12 am PST
Thailand gets a bump from China trade war
Thailand's tuna imports for raw material are expected to increase as a result of the trade war, the Thai Tuna Industry Association Reports (TTIA).
Click here to read by how much.
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Tuesday, July 24, 7: 25 am PST
US lobster industry faces fresh challenges
Caught up in the trade war between the United States and China, the lobster industry is facing a new threat: higher trap prices.
The extra tax on imported raw steel raises the cost of wire mesh for manufacturers, which haven't passed it on to fishermen -- yet, reports Press Herald.
Some trap makers had already increased their prices in the spring to cover the rising cost of steel and labor. Then last month, the US levied a 25 percent tariff on raw imported steel, driving up the cost of the Canadian, Mexican and Chinese steel used to make the plastic-coated wire mesh used in traps.
American steel producers quickly raised their prices to match.
As a result, the biggest US supplier of the mesh used to make Maine lobster traps, Riverdale Mills of Massachusetts, has seen the price of its raw steel double in 2018, said CEO James Knott Jr. Riverdale is absorbing that price hit so far, by slowing the rate at which it is retiring construction debt and dipping into energy savings.
“We are who we are because of the lobster industry, so we’re doing everything we can to make sure this won’t hurt the industry,” Knott said. “We can take the hit for a while, but we need the tariffs lifted as soon as possible.
"It’s very damaging to us. These tariffs mean we can’t invest in our business, our employees, our equipment or technology," he said. "There is real trickle-down.”
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Wednesday, July 18, 5:13 am PST
US lobster firm struggles as tariffs bite
New Hampshire-based lobster producer Little Bay Lobster Company said it is trying to avoid layoffs after being hit by an additional 25 percent tariff from China as a bitter trade war between the Asian nation and the US escalates.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Tuesday, July 17, 2:46 pm PST
Study: Chinese seafood industry could fare worse than US in trade war
The Chinese seafood industry is likely to be the biggest loser under Trump's latest round of tariffs, according to Rabobank analysts.
But other countries could greatly benefit.
Click here to read the full story.
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Friday, July 13, 5.05 am PST
US shrimp producers support new China tariffs
Louisiana and Alabama-based shrimp producers are supporting US President Donald Trump's planned tariffs.
It could help domestic shrimp in what some describe an oversaturated market, they said.
Some industry members go a step further and are calling for additional tariffs to be implemented on shrimp exports from other countries, such as India.
Click here to read the full story.
--Rachel Sapin
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Thursday, July 12, 11.04 pm PST
Latest China tariffs likely to hit Alaska seafood
Michael Kohan, technical program director at ASMI, said some of the new tariffs could affect Alaska seafood, reports KTOO.
“The US is going to impose 10 percent tariff on imports from China, which could include Alaska seafood product that has gone to China for reprocessing and then is being imported into the US for the domestic market,” he said.
In June, China announced it will increase tariffs on US seafood products in response to those set earlier by the US. China added 25 percent to the existing tariffs July 6.
After the decision, industry analysts said seafood reprocessed in China and then exported back to the US would be exempt from the tariffs. The new announcement looks like it changes that, representing a major shift, reports KTOO.
China is the largest trading partner for Alaska seafood and is a major reprocessing sector for the US. Alaska companies export about $1 billion (€857.6 million) worth of seafood to China annually.
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute officials say Alaska companies export approximately $1 billion worth of Alaska seafood to China annually.
Pollock, salmon, and Pacific cod make up the bulk of that and they're included on the new tariff list.
The latest proposed tariffs would go into effect in September.
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Thursday, July 12, 3.29 pm PST
ASMI on China tariffs: We will survive
"As an industry familiar with fluctuating wild harvests and an ever changing global market place, we will continue to adapt."
That was what Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) told IntraFish in a statement in response to news that US could impose trade tariffs of up to 10 percent on Chinese seafood imports.
"The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is discouraged by the recent response from the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that further impedes trade of Alaska seafood products with China," ASMI said.
--Rachel Sapin
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Wednesday, July 11, 8.05 am PST
NFI: China, US governments drive 'misguided strategy'
John Connelly, president of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), condemned the "misguided strategy" by both the US and Chinese governments, which places "unwarranted tariffs on the other’s seafood products" that "will only hurt workers and consumers in their own countries."
He said the NFI is calling on policy makers in both countries to "demonstrate real leadership by sitting down and negotiating before lasting and unnecessary damage is done.
"American jobs at processing plants throughout the country are at risk of losing raw material from China. That means American workers suffer.
"Grocery stores and restaurants thrive when they offer the public options. Tariffs ultimately are taxes on American consumers that limit choice," Connelly said in a statement.
Meanwhile, consumers in China will also be "deprived" of Maine lobsters, squid from New Jersey and California, and cod, pollock, and salmon from Alaska.
"The Dr Seuss story of Two Zax who stand forever facing each other without compromise is not where this dispute should end," Connelly said.
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Wednesday, July 11, 5.30 am PST
NOAA: 'It's chaotic'
An official with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries described the situation to IntraFish as "chaotic" Wednesday morning.
The new tariff list will be subject to public comment for 60 days, which means it is "hard to say what is happening, much less how it will be implemented."
--Elisabeth Fischer
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Wednesday, July 11, 3.30 am PST
China threatens retaliatory measures, WTO lawsuit
China vowed to take “necessary countermeasures” after the United States late on Tuesday said it will slap 10 percent tariffs on an extra $200 billion (€170.5 billion) worth of Chinese imports.
Officials called the move “totally unacceptable,” and said they were “shocked” by the actions of the Trump administration.
“We express our solemn protest,” a statement by the ministry read. “The behavior of the US is hurting China, hurting the world, and hurting itself. This irrational behavior is unpopular.”
To safeguard China’s “core interests” the government will respond with countermeasures. In addition, it will “immediately” file an additional lawsuit against the US with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“We call on the international community to work together to safeguard the rules of free trade,” the ministry said.
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Tuesday, July 10, 9.44 pm PST
Trade war escalates
Cod, shrimp, salmon and tilapia products are among an extensive list of Chinese seafood imports facing import tariffs of up to 10 percent as the Trump administration follows through on threats to step up its trade dispute with Beijing.
The additional 10 percent tariff is being imposed on Chinese goods worth a total of $200 billion (€170.5 billion).
Click here to read the full story.
--John Evans
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Friday, July 6, 4.05 am PST
Chinese importers, US exporters brace for new seafood tariffs
Importers of US seafood in China are bracing for the impact of the new tariffs imposed by the government, reports Reuters.
Gao Han, a salesman at Beijing Chaoxing Seafood Company, which sells US lobsters, said that his firm was stocking up before the tariffs hit, but that if the issue persisted they’d have to raise prices or shift supply.
Click here to read the full story.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2.10 pm PST
NOAA official: Fishmeal, reprocessed product will dodge China tariffs
Fish imported into China for reprocessing and re-export are not, at the moment, subject to the additional 25 percent tariff imposed by China on Friday on a wide range of US seafood exports, according to an email, obtained by IntraFish, from John Henderschedt, director of the Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection for NOAA Fisheries, to executives in the US seafood industry.
Click here to read the full story.
--John Fiorillo
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Tuesday, June 19, 1.20 am PST
Trump threatens more tariffs on Chinese goods
US President Donald Trump late on Monday ordered the US Trade Representative (USTR) to expand the list of Chinese goods to be slapped with tariffs by another $200 billion (€172.6 billion) worth of additional Chinese goods.
These yet unknown products could see a 10 percent tariff and will be made "to address China's harmful trade policies and practices."
Robert Lighthizer, US trade representative, said he supports Trump's action.
"The initial tariffs that the president asked us to put in place were proportionate and responsive to forced technology transfer and intellectual property theft by the Chinese," Lighthizer said. "It is very unfortunate that instead of eliminating these unfair trading practices China said that it intends to impose unjustified tariffs targeting US workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses.
"At the president’s direction, USTR is preparing the proposed tariffs to offset China’s action," he said.
The Trump administration said Friday that it will impose a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion of Chinese exports. China retaliated almost immediately, outlining its own tariffs on US goods worth $50 billion.
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Monday, June 18, 3:20 pm PST
Alaskan seafood fearing impact from tariffs
Alaska lawmakers and industry leaders are voicing concerns over China's latest tariff proposal, citing the country as Alaska's No. 1 importer of its seafood.
Garrett Evridge, an Alaska-based fishery analyst with the McDowell Group, told IntraFish the list of items China is looking to tax could put $1 billion worth of Alaska's exports on the line.
--Rachel Sapin
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Monday, June 18, 2:01 pm PST
Maine lobster sector braces for impact
Like much of the US seafood export industry, the Maine lobster sector is scrambling to understand the potential impact of the retaliatory tariffs the Chinese government announced Friday, which included a huge list of species, including lobster.
Read more about the lobster sector's next move here.
--Drew Cherry
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Monday, June 18, 1:10 pm PST
China's major online market fears long-term trade war
A lengthy trade war between the United States and China would hurt American brands, Richard Liu, founder and CEO of JD.com, China's second-largest e-commerce company, told CBNC Monday.
Chinese consumers have a preference for buying imported goods, he said, providing opportunities for US-branded goods. But a prolonged trade war could send Chinese consumers toward other non-American brands if US goods became less available.
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Monday, June 18, 12:30 pm PST
Geoduck suppliers 'freaking out'
Taylor Shellfish, a leading shellfish supplier in the United States, is anticipating that up to half of its geoduck clam production could be impacted by a new round of retaliatory 25 percent tariffs China slapped on hundreds of US products on Friday.
An estimated 6 million pounds of wild and farmed geoduck are produced annually in Washington state, said Taylor's Bill Dewey, and producers are “freaking out” over the expanded trade war with China.
--John Fiorillo
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Monday, June 18 9:30 am PST
Alaska lawmakers jump into trade fray
In a written statement, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has urged US President Donald Trump to reach a trade policy agreement with China that protects the export market.
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Friday, June 15 11:30 am PST
China-US trade war explodes
As many feared, the US seafood industry is now in line to become collateral damage in a simmering trade war between the United States and China.
Friday was filled with punches and counter punches.
The day started with the Trump administration announcing plans to slap a 25 percent tariff on up to $50 billion (€43 billion) of Chinese goods.
Shrimp, crayfish and other seafood imports were not, however, part of Trump's expanded tariff list, despite pressure from US shrimp and crayfish producers and elected officials to include the items in the list of of more than 1,100 products..
China reacted quickly to the US tariff strike, promising to impose its own massive new round of tariffs on over 500 US exports, including dozens of seafood products such as salmon and lobster.
Tariffs of 25 percent are scheduled to begin July 6, the Chinese government said.
Beijing is imposing the tariffs in two steps as is the Trump administration.
On July 6, China will levy duties on $34 billion (€29.3 billion) of US products, covering 545 categories ranging from soybeans, pork, chicken, seafood to sport-utility vehicles and electric vehicles.
The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) on Friday said it was deeply disappointed by the retaliatory tariffs by China and the Trump administration's misguided policy.
"There is no connection between the products targeted by the US and the tariffs Beijing plans to impose on exported American seafood," said NFI President John Connelly. "It is Maine lobstermen, the men and women on boats in Alaska and families harvesting and processing seafood in the Pacific Northwest who will feel the brunt of the administration’s misguided policy."
In a statement, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) said the US will impose its first set of tariffs on 818 items worth about $34 billion (€29.3 billion) on July 6.
Separate measures affecting 284 products worth about $16 billion (€13.8 billion) could take effect following a review and public comment process.
In May, the US Southern Shrimp Alliance supported a letter written in April by Senator John Kennedy asking US President Donald Trump to add Chinese crawfish and shrimp to the list of tariffs.
In response, groups representing seafood processors released a letter sent to the USTR office, asking the government to refrain from targeting Chinese seafood products.
