American shrimpers find a lifeline with tariffs

U.S. shrimpers have for decades struggled to compete with a flood of cheap foreign imports

Now, this industry, comprised mostly of multi-generational, family-run operations, is hoping the Trump administration's new tariffs could finally level the playing field

while other American companies have warned of rising costs and drinking profits as a result

of that very same trade crackdown. Over 90 percent of shrimp eaten in the U.S. comes from countries

like India, Ecuador, and Vietnam, where lower wages, fewer regulations, and government subsidies

make their shrimp far cheaper than wild-caught American shrimp. The result? Prices have tanked

and it's sinking the domestic shrimping industry. In 2021, U.S. shrimpers brought in $522 million

In 2023, just $269 million. Shrimpers have closed shop. In Alabama alone, the number of

lice in shrimpers has fallen by more than two since the 90s Now with Trump tariffs aimed at foreign seafood domestic shrimpers have spotted a lifeboat and maybe a second chance Shrimpers say the tariffs are shining a spotlight on their struggling industry

They're hoping consumers will recognize the quality of their product and understand that cheap seafood isn't always better

As shrimp remains the most consumed seafood in the U.S., local producers say the higher prices soon to hit imported shrimp could save their livelihoods

While shrimpers support higher tariffs, others in the seafood industry are pushing back

The National Fisheries Institute, a trade association, is wary of seafood tariffs, noting that they could cause inflation

And a recent seafood industry survey showed that consumers are likelier to cut back on restaurant dining and buy less expensive groceries

But even after $5 trillion vanished from the S&P in just two days after the tariff announcement, shrimpers are celebrating

The Florida-based trade group Southern Shrimp Alliance says it's thankful for the Trump tariffs

calling them a step toward protecting American jobs. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Jack Elmer