Tariff fears and high stakes for Atlantic Canada at the Boston Seafood Expo

Seafood industry reps from more than 50 countries are in Boston for what is usually an exciting three days of meetings, showcases, and networking at the annual Seafood Expo North America. This year, though, the stakes have never been higher for Atlantic Canadians.

Fears of potential industry-rocking tariffs from the United States and China are overshadowing everything happening on the show floor.

Bruce Wilson, a lobster fisherman from New Brunswick, told CBC News he's scared of what effect tariffs could have on his business and his community, and he hopes he can share that message with other people at the expo.

"Who's going to absorb that tariff? Whether it's 25 [per cent], 10 per cent, 15, is it just the fisherman? The consumer? Or everybody else?" Wilson said Sunday.

"Even if it's only five per cent … Even the corner store needs to keep up."

The largest gathering of its kind on the continent, Seafood Expo North America gives the world a chance to explore new markets — something top of mind for Canada, and its provinces and territories.

The expo is playing out during a moment of potential crisis for the Canadian seafood landscape, as economic tariffs that would apply to seafood loom large, along with uncertainty about what will happen if the new charges do happen.

Canada exports 67 per cent of its seafood product to the United States, and U.S. President Donald Trump has said tariffs will resume on April 2 after postponing them earlier this month. Meanwhile, China says their 25 per cent tariff will come into effect on Thursday. Both will apply to seafood.

"The 25 per cent is really affecting the base profit," Wilson said. "It might be very dangerous for the livelihood of fishermen."

Neil Targett, part of the Barry Group of Companies based in Corner Brook, N.L., said although it's still early in the event, the conversations he's had on the show floor so far have all included talk of tariffs. 

"No one knows what's really going to be happening," he said. "Will it change? It may change many times between now and then. Everyone's really nervous."

Relationships will help weather storm, officials say

Canadian officials opened the show by highlighting decades of collaboration between Canada and the United States — and stressing to the crowd that relationship will be even more necessary in the future.

"The relationships that we have here are extremely important, and we're hoping that all of you are ambassadors for Canada," Bernadette Jordan, Canada's consul general in Boston and a former federal fisheries minister, told a crowd.

"It's important that we all stand together, and I think this is a great place for us to show our strength."

Speaking with CBC News, Jordan said part of her message to people at the show also focuses on the effect tariffs could have on both Canada and the U.S. She says New Englanders generally understand that.

"New England gets a lot of its energy from Canada. They get their home heating, they get their malt and barley for craft beer. You know, there's an awful lot of trade between the two countries, and it is going to impact consumers," she said.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said part of the show will involve working through that concern.

"We have an incredible product from Atlantic Canada, from Nova Scotia. That product is desired around the world," he said.

"The tariffs may have an impact on pricing, but we'll work through that. And I'm here to support them any way I can."

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