Fisheries Council of Canada Warns of Catastrophic Impact as China Imposes 25% Tariff on Canadian Seafood

OTTAWA, ON: The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) warns that China’s announcement of a 25% tariff on
Canadian seafood exports represents an existential threat to numerous fishing operations across the
country, particularly coming on the heels of similar tariffs from the United States.

With the March 20th implementation date rapidly approaching, FCC is sounding the alarm about the
devastating consequences for multiple fisheries that rely heavily—and in some cases almost exclusively—
on the Chinese market. This double tariff crisis has effectively cut off 83% of Canada’s seafood export
markets within a span of days, with the two markets representing roughly $6.6 billion of Canada’s $8.1 billion
in fish and seafood exports in 2024.

“This is no longer just about economic losses—it’s about immediate survival,” said Alberto Wareham, FCC
Chair. “Companies harvesting highly vulnerable species like Greenland halibut, clams including Arctic surf
clam and geoduck, and coldwater shrimp send up to 95% of their catch to China with virtually no alternative
markets. These operations face imminent closure without emergency intervention.”

Particularly alarming is the disproportionate impact on Indigenous fishing enterprises. Over 45 First Nations
on the West Coast participate in the geoduck clam fishery, with 95% of their harvest exported to China.
Similar dependencies exist among Indigenous operations in the Eastern Arctic and Labrador regions
harvesting Greenland halibut and coldwater shrimp.

“The Canadian government’s March 7th support announcement for businesses affected by U.S. tariffs was
made before China’s announcement and does not address this new crisis,” added Wareham. “We need a
separate, targeted, and aggressive negotiation plan to go with a support package specifically designed for
seafood businesses now facing insurmountable barriers in both major markets simultaneously.”
The FCC calls for immediate action on two critical fronts:

• The Canadian government must immediately ramp up diplomatic efforts with China to remove these
  tariffs before the March 20th implementation date, focusing particularly on the most vulnerable
  species.
• A comprehensive support package must be developed and implemented specifically for the seafood
  industry to address the unique double impact of both U.S. and Chinese tariffs.

“Market diversification, while important, is a 5–10-year strategy that cannot address our immediate crisis,”
emphasized Wareham. “Without swift intervention, we are looking at devastating job losses and the potential
collapse of entire fisheries that have sustained coastal communities for generations.”

While diversification of seafood markets remains a strategic priority, the FCC notes that penetrating IndoPacific markets has proven challenging, with China currently accounting for roughly 90% of Canada’s sales
in the region. The organization also points to untapped opportunities in the European Union market through
the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that need to be addressed immediately.

The FCC will continue advocating for the industry’s 90,000 workers and the $9 billion contribution it makes to
Canada’s economy but warns that this unprecedented market access crisis requires urgent government
action before irreversible damage occurs to Canada’s seafood sector.

For additional information, please contact:
David Martinek
Manager, Public Affairs
dmartinek@fisheriescouncil.ca

About FCC
The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) is the voice of Canada’s wild capture fish and seafood industry, promoting a healthy
resource and prosperous industry playing a vital role in the Canadian economy. Our members include small, medium and
larger-sized companies along with Indigenous enterprises that harvest and process fish from Canada’s three oceans.