The seafood industry in Canada’s East Coast is relieved as the federal government has excluded U.S. fish and seafood products from its list of counter-tariffed items. This change was announced late Wednesday night following feedback received by the government. The decision came after the introduction of counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods in response to the new 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the U.S. over the weekend. Initially, many seafood products were taxed at a 25 per cent rate.

Industry leaders were concerned about the potential negative impact of these countermeasures on the seafood business, which had not been part of the trade war until the recent announcement. Gilles Thériault, former president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association, expressed relief over the removal of the tariff on seafood products. Nat Richard, executive director at Lobster Processors Association, highlighted the strong integration of the industry across the border, with American-caught lobster often processed in Canada before being exported back to the U.S.

Kris Vascotto, executive director of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, emphasized the broad impact the retaliatory tariffs would have had on the industry. Joanne Losier, executive director of New Brunswick Crab Processors, voiced concerns about potential retaliatory tariffs from the U.S. and emphasized the importance of maintaining tariff-free access for Canadian snowcrab exports to the U.S.

While some measures were rolled back, the federal government stated its commitment to maintaining a reciprocal response to U.S. products. Certain items, including copper wire and charcoal, have been added to the list of counter-tariffed items to ensure a dollar-for-dollar impact. Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne stated that the government’s decision to remove seafood tariffs was made in the best interest of Canada, reflecting the feedback received from Canadians.