Canada’s East Coast seafood industry is relieved as the federal government has removed U.S. fish and seafood products from the list of counter-tariffed items. The decision was announced late Wednesday night following feedback received by the government. This change came after the U.S. imposed new 50 per cent tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of goods when trade negotiations collapsed, prompting Canada to retaliate with counter-tariffs that included seafood products taxed at a 25 per cent rate.
Industry leaders expressed concerns that the countermeasures could have had severe impacts on the seafood business, an industry that was unexpectedly drawn into the trade conflict. Gilles Thériault, former president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association, stated that the entire Atlantic fisheries industry is relieved by the removal of the tariff from the list. Nat Richard, executive director of the Lobster Processors Association, highlighted the industry’s heavy cross-border integration, with American-caught lobster processed in Canadian plants during the off-season before being exported back to the U.S.
Kris Vascotto, executive director of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, warned of the broad impact on nearly all seafood items imported by Canada due to the retaliatory tariffs. Joanne Losier, executive director of New Brunswick Crab Processors, expressed concerns about potential retaliatory tariffs from the U.S., emphasizing the importance of maintaining the current tariff-free status for Canada’s snow crab exports to the U.S.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, along with industry representatives, had raised concerns about seafood tariffs with the federal government earlier in the week. The government, while rolling back some measures, reiterated its commitment to maintaining a proportional response to U.S. products. Additional items, including copper wire and charcoal, have been added to the counter-tariff list to ensure a dollar-for-dollar impact. Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne stated that the decision to remove U.S. seafood from the list was made in the best interest of Canada, following feedback from Canadians.