Level shrimping field? Trump tariffs seen as boon for Georgia fishermen

For Georgia shrimpers, who compete in a market dominated by pond-farmed shrimp from Asia and Latin America, the tariffs offer hope the overseas supply will drop in the coming months in time for their catch to command higher prices.

“We’ve been in survival mode since trade resumed after COVID, and it’ll be nice to have a little extra because you never know when an engine will go down,” said Anchored Seafood Co.’s John Wallace, who operates a dock and packing facility in McIntosh County and a distribution center and public market in Brunswick. “It makes it hard to want to stay in business, and any breakdowns can put you out of business.”

Credit: AJC photo

Credit: AJC photo

Shrimp industry insiders call Trump’s tariffs “a crucial lifeline” for fishermen struggling because of a practice known as “shrimp dumping.” Farmed crustaceans imported from countries such as Ecuador, Vietnam and India now make up more than 90% of shrimp consumed in the U.S.

The glut has effectively cut holes in Georgia shrimpers’ nets. The state’s commercial fishing harvest cratered from 4.9 million pounds in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic halted trade for several months, to just 3.1 million pounds in 2023. Wholesale prices fell from near $4 a pound to as low as 85 cents.

Industry organizations launched calls for government action in 2023. The Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade group representing shrimpers in eight states along the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, asked Gov. Brian Kemp and leaders of other states to request a disaster declaration from the federal government. Kemp’s staff determined the shrimp crisis did not qualify under the terms of a disaster declaration.

Instead, Kemp and other state and federal elected officials joined industry leaders in encouraging then-President Joe Biden to impose tariffs. In December, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission imposed duties on shrimp imports from farm giants Ecuador, Indonesia, India and Vietnam ranging from 2.8% to 6.7%.

Those levies are widely considered by Georgia shrimpers as too low. Wallace said the governments of those countries subsidize shrimp pond operators and speculated that the farmers would “eat the cost” to keep working.

By contrast, Trump’s 10% tariffs are more punitive — and could rise later this year. Trump last week announced tariffs of 46% on Vietnam, 42% on Indonesia and 26% on India before pausing them for 90 days on Wednesday.

John Williams, a Florida shrimper and executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, said the tariffs would preserve American jobs, improve food security and underscores the commitment of American shrimpers to ethical production.

“We’ve watched as multigenerational family businesses tie up their boats, unable to compete with foreign producers who play by a completely different set of rules,” Williams said.

Credit: Brunswick-Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau

Credit: Brunswick-Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau

The tariffs also bide time for industry leaders to expand consumer education efforts. They cite the practices of bad actors who operate farms overseas and have been cited for using forced labor and antibiotics banned in the U.S. The strategy is meant to pressure supermarkets and restaurants to buy wild-caught shrimp and stabilize the shrimp-fishing fleets in Georgia and other U.S. states.

A Georgia House bill sponsored by Rep. Jesse Petrea, R-Savannah, that would have required restaurants to label the shrimp dishes on their menus with the place of origin failed to pass during the recently concluded legislative session.

Anchored Shrimp’s Wallace says demand for the shrimp he buys from the six to eight boats that frequent his dock on Cedar Creek, near Sapelo Island, has slowly waned in recent years. Customers seek out the lowest prices, he said, and Georgia shrimpers can’t compete and stay in business.

But the tariffs could mean diners will be reintroduced to a superior product and shift the market, he said.

“My hope is Trump is using these tariffs toward promoting fair trade and not just a negotiating tool,” Wallace said. “The longer they are in place, the more we can point toward all that’s wrong with these foreign pond shrimp and educate the consumer.”