New Canadian fisheries minister facing tough debut

The new minister is Newfoundland and Labrador MP Joanne Thompson (pictured), who has been appointed as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard by incoming Prime Minister Mark Carney. She replaces Diane Lebouthillier, who steamrollered through the ban on open pen farming on the Discovery Islands in British Columbia, which had been introduced by her predecessor, Joyce Murray.

Canada’s incoming Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Thompson as part of a new leadership team that will contest the next federal election.

It is not known yet if she will offer some relief to the beleaguered salmon sector in BC.

But already Canadian seafood is facing an immediate potential double tariff blow– from the United States and China.

China has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on many seafood items from later this week while the United States said it will do the same from 2 April.

The Fisheries Council of Canada says tariffs on Canadian seafood entering China spell disaster for the industry — including in Newfoundland and Labrador — and serves as a double whammy with US tariffs (on most Canadian goods) already threatened.

China announced it would impose a 25% tariff on Canadian seafood effective March 20 as a retaliatory measure to Canadian tariffs on steel, aluminium and electric vehicles. However, farmed salmon may yet be excluded.

The list of over 40 products facing the tariff so far includes lobster, crab, shrimp, halibut and others.

"Some of the fisheries, some of the species that go to China, are almost exclusively going to China," Council Chair Alberto Wareham told CBC News.

"The Chinese tariffs coming on top of the potential US tariffs are devastating for many of our members."

US President Donald Trump has also said tariffs on all goods from Canada will be brought into effect on 2 April.

Wareham said 16% of Canadian seafood is exported to China, and 67% is exported to the US. That means 83% of all seafood exported from Canada would be subject to extra tariffs by April 2.

"A lot of companies have a big problem here," Wareham said. "We need government of Canada support, we need the provincial government supports across Canada to find a way to keep these businesses going."

Thompson and her party are also expected to face a general election soon, with polling close between the Liberal government and Conservative opposition.