The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance is urging the sector to strengthen domestic production in the face of recent tariffs introduced by the Trump administration.
It warns that families, communities and businesses in both Canada and the US will find accessing healthy, fresh protein harder, particularly as food prices have risen owing to years of inflation.
In response, Canada must focus on its domestic seafood production, says the alliance. Several key policy actions, particularly those taken by both federal and provincial governments, are stifling the growth of the Canadian seafood industry, it says.
Notable concerns include the BC Salmon Farming Transition, which threatens the livelihoods of 4,500 workers and coastal communities without scientific backing, and Transport Canada’s ‘Safe Manning’ proposal, which would increase operational costs without improving safety.
It also warns that the government’s proposed marine protected areas and national marine conservation areas (NMCA), such as the one-million-hectare NMCA on the south coast of Newfoundland, would severely limit fishing areas, further harming seafood production.
The proposal to alter conditions of licence for BC shellfish farmers is another area of concern, as it could disrupt existing production without evidence-based justification.
To counter these challenges, the seafood industry is calling on the federal government for immediate support, including new funding for domestic marketing initiatives and greater flexibility for international marketing efforts.
The government is also urged to carefully evaluate the potential impacts of retaliatory tariffs on Canadian seafood exports.
