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Trump moves forward with trade deal as China lowers tariffs

January 2, 2020 โ€” U.S. President Donald Trump said he will sign the so-called โ€œPhase Oneโ€ trade deal with China, first announced on 13 December.

Trump said on Twitter he would sign the deal on 15 January at the White House. He also announced plans to travel to Beijing for negotiations on Phase Two at an unspecified later date.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Little-noticed document from US-China โ€˜phase oneโ€™ trade deal hints of positives for US seafood

December 19, 2019 โ€” Language contained in a short, somewhat vague document included as part of the so-called โ€œphase oneโ€ US-China trade agreement announced Friday โ€” but not widely publicized โ€” hints at some positive developments coming soon for US seafood harvesters, processors, wholesalers and exporters, Undercurrent News has learned.

But the seafood industry will likely have to wait another month for the details.

Under the heading of โ€œexpanding tradeโ€, the US Trade Representative (USTR)โ€™s two-page fact sheet, handed out to stakeholders, says China has committed to exceeding its 2017 purchase of US goods and services by no less than $200 billion, including โ€œmanufactured goods, food, agricultural and seafood products,โ€ among other things.

It further adds that the increase should โ€œcontinue on this same trajectory for several years after 2021 and should contribute significantly to the rebalancing of the US-China trade relationship.โ€

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

United States and China reach agreement to deescalate trade war

December 13, 2019 โ€” The United States and China announced an agreement in which China will make structural reforms to its trading policies and strengthen its intellectual property protections in exchange for a reduction of current and proposed U.S. tariffs.

The U.S. will cancel its plan to implement another round of tariff increases later this month, and will reduce its 15 percent tariffs to 7.5 percent on USD 120 billion (EUR 107.9 billion) worth of Chinese goods. It will leave in place 25 percent tariffs on an additional USD 250 billion (EUR 224.8 billion) of Chinese imports, however, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The USTR did not identify which goods would see reduced tariffs.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Maine lobsters head for distant new market

December 12, 2019 โ€” The changing climate and a seemingly unending round of trade wars are putting the squeeze on Maineโ€™s lobster industry.

As the Gulf of Maine warms at a rapid pace, the lobster population seems to be shifting its location. At the same time, increased Chinese tariffs on lobster, imposed in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on an array of imports from China, have cut Maine exports into that lucrative market sharply.

Demand for lobster hasnโ€™t disappeared in China, but most of it is now being filled by Canadian dealers, frequently shipping lobsters imported from Maine.

To help fishermen combat these pressures and diversify the New England seafood industry, Food Export USAโ€“Northeast recently organized a three-day trade mission to Dubai for several Maine lobster dealers.

Traveling to the city, one of the United Arab Emirates on the shore of the Persian Gulf, said Tim Hamilton, executive director, Food Export USA-Northeast, were representatives from Greenhead Lobster Co. in Stonington, Maine Coast Lobster in York and Ready Seafood in Portland.

Also on the trip were representatives of Island Creek Oysters, a Massachusetts-based oyster grower.

โ€œOne way to counter whatโ€™s happening in the world today is to diversify export markets for all Northeast U.S. seafood products,โ€ Hamilton said. โ€œOur programs, services and promotional activities around the world can help suppliers do that.โ€

Dubai and countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) represent a potentially rich export market opportunity for Northeast U.S. seafood suppliers. In 2018, U.S. seafood exports to six GCC countries (the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) amounted to $14.4 million, while total U.S. food and agricultural exports to that market comprised $3.3 billion, so U.S. seafood exports are only about a half a percent of total U.S. food exports.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

In the face of harsh tariffs, the Maine lobster industry fights to save the export business, and innovate to find new U.S. Markets

November 15, 2019 โ€” Lobster from Stonington, Maineโ€™s biggest lobster harbor, used to travel around the world. Now, because of issues with tariffs in both Europe and China, much of the catch stays closer to home. So far, fishermen havenโ€™t felt the loss of export business in their paychecks, but many know that Maineโ€™s signature seafood needs the most comprehensive market possible to make the most money.

Longtime fisherman Mike Billings watched the dock crew unload his dayโ€™s catch, and said exports are needed.

โ€œMy grandfather, I fished with him when I was a kid, and he said if we could just get the lobsters out to the rest of the world, not just this country, we could get a decent price for them. โ€œ

Maine has had an export market for many years, but that business started growing significantly as lobster dealers were able to open up the market to China. According to figures from the Maine International Trade Center, exports of live lobster to China grew from 26 million pounds in 2014 to a high of 56 million in 2017. Dealers like Hugh Reynolds of Greenhead Lobster say the business was heading for more growth, primarily the live lobster market. 

Read the full story at News Center Maine

Despite trade war, US seafood companies still see positives in China

October 31, 2019 โ€” Since the start of the trade war between the United States and China over a year ago, certain sectors of the seafood industry have seen sharp drops of trade between the two countries.

The United States and China have taken turns ramping up tariffs on each otherโ€™s products, starting at 10 percent tariff rates and escalating to 25 percent duties on most products, including seafood, traded between the two countries.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

All Hands: Alaska determined to overcome tariff troubles

October 9, 2019 โ€” The theme coming out of Alaska seafoodโ€™s annual meeting is โ€” no surprise โ€” tariffs.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute opened its All Hands On Deck meeting today in Anchorage with annual updates from its program directors, followed by public meetings for species committees and the Responsible Fisheries Management program.

International Program Director Hannah Lindoff opened her update with a slide detailing the current state of U.S./China tariffs.

โ€œThis is the most up to date information,โ€ said Lindoff. โ€œBut if anyone is on Twitter and something changes, please let me know.โ€

Although most products in Alaskaโ€™s portfolio are exempted from U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports โ€” salmon, pollock and Pacific cod โ€” competition in the global marketplace makes tariffs disadvantageous for any fisheries affected by additional duties.

For example, Alaska contributes 10 to 15 percent of the global supply of red king crab. Russia supplies about 70 percent. Alaskaโ€™s red king crab quota is down 12 percent for 2020. Golden king crab and snow crab quotas are up 13 and 23 percent, but the tanner/opilio fishery is shut down for the year.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

US to hit EU with USD 7.5 billion in tariffs; mussels, clams among seafood products affected

October 3, 2019 โ€” The United States will impose tariffs valued at USD 7.5 billion (EUR 6.8 billion) against the European Union in what it says is a response to E.U. subsidies to aerospace firm Airbus that broke World Trade Organization rules.

The WTO approved the tariffs on 2 October, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has said they will come into force as early as 18 October. They include 10 percent tariffs on Airbus parts and 25 percent duties on other goods, including some food products. A majority of the products on the list are luxury food products such as cheese, olives, and wine. In the category of seafood, prepared or preserved mussels, clams, cockles, razor claims, and molluscs all will be hit with 25 percent tariffs, according to a list released by the USTR.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MASSACHUSETTS: Congressional delegation urges feds to find new lobster markets

September 19, 2019 โ€” As the United States trade war with China continues to take its toll on Massachusetts lobstermen, members of the stateโ€™s Congressional delegation, including U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, are urging the Trump administration to find new markets for American lobster exports.

Sens. Warren and Ed Markey and Congressmen Joseph Kennedy III, William Keating, Stephen Lynch and Seth Moulton wrote a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday imploring him assist the local lobster industry.

The lawmakers said that Chinaโ€™s 25 percent tariffs on imported American lobsters has had a โ€œmaterial impactโ€ on the stateโ€™s lobster industry, already forcing at least two businesses to close and leaving 250 people out of work.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Lobster industry pinched by tariffs

September 18, 2019 โ€” The trade war with China is putting the squeeze on the stateโ€™s lobster industry, and the damage is seeping into other sectors of the seafood economy, lawmakers were told Tuesday.

China has imposed 35% tariffs on U.S. lobsters โ€” and many other food products โ€” over the past year amid rising trade hostilities with the United States.

As a result, U.S. lobster exports to China have fallen off a cliff, dropping by 80% since its retaliatory tariffs went into effect.

The pain is being felt in Massachusetts, the nationโ€™s second-largest market, where lobster sales to China plummeted 62% in the past year, according to state export officials.

โ€œCanada is experiencing a boom in lobster sales as Chinese buyers find alternative markets,โ€ Mark Sullivan, executive director of the state Office of International Trade and Investment, told members of Legislatureโ€™s Committee on Export Development on Tuesday. โ€œCargo planes are coming into Halifax, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick to handle this bump in growth.โ€

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

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