Nova Scotia is welcoming news of a recent agreement with China to temporarily lift “anti-discrimination” tariffs on Canadian lobster and crab. The Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance’s executive director, Kris Vascotto, expressed optimism about the deal, which Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last Friday. Under the agreement, China will allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market annually in exchange for removing tariffs on Canadian lobster, peas, canola, and crab.
Vascotto highlighted the significant impact of the additional 25% lobster tariff on Nova Scotia’s lobster industry, which has seen a decline in exports to China due to the barriers imposed. The Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois, who participated in the trade negotiations in Beijing, emphasized that the agreement signifies the beginning of improved relations between the two countries. He stressed the importance of ongoing engagement to enhance market access for various seafood products in China.
Louisbourg Seafoods Limited, based in Cape Breton, praised the trade agreement, noting that it will benefit workers and coastal communities. The company’s owner, James Kennedy, described the agreement as a major advancement in the Canada-China economic partnership. Osborne Burke, a seafood industry expert, highlighted the need for diversification in trade partnerships to ensure stability and growth in the industry.
The Fish Food and Allied Workers union in Newfoundland and Labrador welcomed the reduction in trade barriers but sought clarity on whether species beyond lobster and snow crab would also benefit from the agreement. The union’s secretary treasurer, Jamie Baker, raised concerns about the impact on other key seafood products, emphasizing the importance of seeking a broadening of the agreement to benefit a wider range of species.