American shrimpers were pleased to see President Donald Trump unveil his latest round of tariffs this week.
The president on Wednesday announced plans for new tariffs on goods imported from foreign countries. The new measures include a baseline levy of 10% on foreign imports and “individualized reciprocal higher” tariffs on certain countries, the White House said.
Leann Bosarge, the COO of Bosarge Boats, told FOX Business’ Lydia Hu on Friday that the tariffs “threw us a lifeline” in the struggling domestic shrimp industry.
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“The U.S. domestic shrimp industry has been on a downward trajectory for decades now as a direct result of the unfair trade in the overseas aquaculture industry for growing shrimp overseas,” Bosarge said. “And these tariffs threw us a lifeline that we needed to hopefully live to fight another day in our industry in this country.”
The domestic shrimp industry in the Gulf and South Atlantic has seen the value of the shrimp it catches drop significantly, with NOAA Fisheries data showing it has gone from $522 million in 2021 to $269 million in 2023, according to the Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade organization representing shrimp fishermen, processors and other stakeholders from eight states.
Hu reported shrimpers believe the tariffs will help level the playing field with the foreign shrimp industry.
Imports make up 94% of shrimp eaten in the U.S., with countries such as India, Ecuador, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Argentina among the top sources of the imported shrimp, per the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
The organization has said subsidies, forced labor and other factors have made shrimp production in foreign countries cheaper, hurting the American shrimp industry.
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Hu reported Borsage was “getting paid prices for shrimp that she got paid back in the 1980s and, of course, she’s dealing with 2025 prices of doing business.”
The new tariffs “are expected to slow imports and prevent Americans from becoming completely dependent on foreign shrimp producers while the administration addresses harmful trade policies and enforcement deficiencies,” according to the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
Southern Shrimp Alliance Executive Director John Williams said in a Wednesday statement that the organization was “grateful for the Trump Administration’s actions,” saying the tariffs will “preserve American jobs, food security, and our commitment to ethical production.”
The new import tariffs are slated to come into force soon, with the White House saying the 10% baseline levy will hit on April 5 and the reciprocal tariffs expected on April 9.
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While unveiling the tariffs on Wednesday, Trump said it was “one of the most important days, in my opinion, in American history,” calling it the U.S.’ “declaration of economic independence.”
The president has moved to put other tariffs in place since taking office. For instance, in mid-March, he implemented a 25% levy on imported steel and aluminum.
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