China's retaliatory tariffs on Canadian seafood could paralyze B.C.'s geoduck industry

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

China's intent to slap caller tariffs connected Canadian seafood exports has British Columbia's geoduck harvesters worried. 

According to a connection from China's Ministry of Finance, the caller tariffs are successful effect to Canada's 100 per cent tariff connected Chinese-made electrical vehicles and 25 per cent levy connected its aluminum and steel, some implemented precocious past year.

Seafood — including geoduck, lobster and shrimp — and pork are among the items that China volition tariff at 25 per cent, portion a 100 per cent tariff volition beryllium imposed on canola and peas. China's tariffs are acceptable to instrumentality effect connected March 20.

The determination comes amid an ongoing trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump past month.

Geoducks are ample saltwater clams known for their long siphon and their quality to burrow heavy into the sand.

WATCH | B.C. seafood faces uncertainty amid Chinese tariffs:

World authorities and economics person already contributed to a 22 per cent diminution successful however overmuch geoduck harvesters person from food brokers, says Thomas.

He said China's 25 per cent tariff volition beryllium difficult — and perchance impossible —  to handle, estimating that the worth of geoducks could driblet by 50 per cent.

The seafood export marketplace to China is worthy conscionable nether $300 million, and the geoduck export marketplace to China is worthy astir $50 million, according to the B.C. Seafood Alliance. Ninety-five per cent of the province's geoduck harvest is sold to China.

"Our brokers are saying that we're looking astatine a complete, coast-wide shutdown [of the industry] starting connected the 17th of March," Thomas said. 

Thomas said workers and companies successful his manufacture anticipation the national authorities will negotiate with China to "maybe deed a pause."

B.C. Seafood Alliance enforcement manager Christina Burridge said galore of the province's fisheries are successful a wait-and-see situation, but immoderate fisheries, including geoduck companies, are likely to adjacent aboriginal this season.

LISTEN | B.C.'s seafood manufacture susceptible to tariffs:

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) said successful a connection that the authorities is hoping to negociate with Chinese officials to code some countries' commercialized concerns.

"The Government of Canada volition ever basal up for Canadian businesses and workers and support them from the harmful effects of unfair commercialized policies," the connection said.

B.C. Premier David Eby said he's urging the national authorities to dainty the Chinese tariffs with the aforesaid urgency arsenic tariffs levied by the U.S.

"We're going to marque definite that we're supporting the seafood manufacture successful accessing different markets," helium said, adding that helium is gathering with commercialized officials from astir the world.

"They are besides trying to get distant from the United States… [so] it creates a immense accidental for British Columbia."

More than 7,500 radical successful B.C. enactment successful fishing-related jobs, with a full of 64,400 jobs nationwide, according to 2023 information from DFO.