China’s 25 per cent tariff on Canadian seafood could have Newfoundland and Labrador producers fighting a trade war on two fronts.
The new tariff came into effect March 20. China represents Canada’s second largest seafood market after the U.S., which could also have Canadian seafood tariffs in place April 2.
Paul Grant, executive vice-president of Beothic Fish Processors in Valleyfield, N.L. and former board chair of the Association of Seafood Producers, says producers are in a difficult situation even without more tariffs.
The tariffs also come amid snow crab quota tensions, and as negotiations for the price of crab continue ahead of other fisheries.
“It’s very difficult to get people to come to grips with the reality,” said Grant. “We can’t simply pass this on to the customer. It’s just not going to happen.”
Grant says the lobster and turbot fisheries could be affected as well.
While the snow crab season is set to begin April 1, Dwan Street, president of the Food, Fisheries and Allied Workers’ Union, says China isn’t a major market for Newfoundland and Labrador crab — but it is for sea cucumber, which starts in May.
Street says that gives them some time.
“We’re hopeful that the federal government can help negotiate with the Chinese and those tariffs will hopefully go away,” said Street.
“You’re looking at hypothetical because by the time our fishery starts, it might just all be off the table.”
According to Statistics Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador exported over a billion dollars of seafood to China in 2024, representing around 20 per cent of the Canadian seafood industry.
China’s tariffs are in retaliation for levies Ottawa introduced in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products.
They include a 100 per cent tariff on rapeseed oil and peas, and a 25 per cent tariff on seafood and pork.
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