As Trump takes power, Atlantic Canadian seafood firms look to diversify export market

Seafood manufacture representatives successful Atlantic Canada are urging harvesters and exporters to diversify their markets, arsenic United States President Donald Trump takes bureau for a 2nd term.

Trump is holding disconnected connected his menace to enforce 25 per cent tariffs connected Canadian exports and volition alternatively motion a memorandum ordering U.S. national agencies to survey commercialized issues.

But Geoff Irvine, manager of the Lobster Council of Canada, says the caller U.S. medication is sending a connection that Canada’s seafood manufacture should displacement its absorption to different planetary markets.

He says Quebec and Atlantic Canada successful 2023 unneurotic exported astir $1.6 cardinal worthy of lobster to the United States, adding that if tariffs are imposed it would outgo invaluable jobs and income crossed coastal communities.

Members of Canada’s seafood manufacture are heading connected a commercialized ngo to Europe successful 2 weeks, but Irvine says the assemblage should bash much by besides processing markets successful Asia and the Middle East.

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Robert Huisch, a prof astatine Dalhousie University’s section of planetary improvement studies, says Atlantic Canadian businesses indispensable stay vigilant implicit the adjacent 4 years to the threats and risks of U.S. tariffs.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Jan. 20, 2025. 

— With files from The Associated Press.