Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

DOC Announces 2025 Appointments to the Regional Fishery Management Councils

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced the appointment of 20 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils on June 30.

Council members represented stakeholders, including commercial and recreational fishing industries, environmental organizations, and academia, along with state and federal agencies. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explained that councils are vital to “fulfilling the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s requirements to end overfishing, rebuild fish stocks, and manage them sustainably.”

The Secretary of Commerce appoints roughly one-third of the total 72 appointed members...

ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review for the Week 25, June 22-28

Sockeye prices moved lower this week, a trend that is typical as the season begins and landings increase. According to Expana Seafood Market Reporter Joshua Bickert, harvest activity has picked up across several key regions, including Prince William Sound, the Alaska Peninsula, Bristol Bay and Barclay Sound in Canada...

Georgia Representatives Call on Secretary Lutnick for Red Snapper Management in South Atlantic

Recently, Congressional representatives from Georgia, led by Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick calling for state management of red snapper and other reef fish species in the South Atlantic.

In the letter, Carter and his fellow Congressmen express support for Governors Brian Kemp, Ron DeSantis, and Henry McMaster’s June 4 request “to correct course on red snapper fisheries management and for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to allow for state management of red snapper and other species of..."

Commerce Secretary Lutnick: US-China Trade Deal Framework Finalized

United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that the US and China have agreed to a trade framework after two days of negotiations in London. 

After what reports described as “intense negotiations,” Lutnick told reporters that the framework builds upon an agreement made last month to ease triple-digit retaliatory tariffs. 

 In a social media post on June 11, President Trump said that a deal with China was done and called the trade relationship with China “excellent.” However, further details regarding the deal were not made public...

Commerce Secretary Lutnick Addresses Maine Lobster Tariffs, Promises Science-Backed Regulations

Last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick weighed in on pressing concerns for Maine's lobster industry, including US-Canada lobster tariffs and promising a commitment to "gold standard science" in future federal regulations impacting the state's staple seafood.

Lutnick went so far as to call the industry an “American treasure” that should be protected.

During the hearing, Lutnick was questioned by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), who highlighted how intertwined Canada and Maine are, noting the impact of tariffs on lobster, which is primarily processed in Canada, along with other...

Secretary Lutnick Commits to Meeting with Alaska Seafood Industry Leaders 

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick says he will join U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in sitting down with leaders of the Alaska seafood industry to discuss trade issues with Russia and ways that the Trump Administration can help chart a path forward. 

Speaking at a hearing this week held by the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Murkowski highlighted the importance of fair-trade practices for Alaska’s fishermen. In response, Secretary Lutnick reinforced the administration’s trade policy of protecting fishermen, who he...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #8

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #8."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...

“I’m Starting to Get Real Upset,” Sullivan’s Frustrated Call for Fisheries Surveys in Alaska

Last week, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, pressed Mr. Paul Dabbar, the nominee who will likely be the new Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce, on fisheries stock surveys in Alaska. 

Sullivan pointed out that if staffing and approved funding from the Department are not prioritized, there will be no fishing. Sullivan also demanded that Dabbar and Commerce officials work promptly with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to sign the pending maintenance contract for the Kodiak...

Today’s Top Story: Sec. Lutnick Taps Eugenio Piñeiro-Soler as Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries

In our top story today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—currently the parent department for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), or NOAA Fisheries—has named Eugenio Piñeiro-Soler as the Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries, effective immediately. Piñeiro-Soler takes the reins of the agency tasked with overseeing the nation’s marine fisheries and conservation work, which comes only a few weeks after several hundred fishery researchers and managers lost their jobs due to the recent decisions of the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)...

Oregon Dems Urge Commerce Department to Declare 2024 Season a Disaster

Oregon’s Democratic Congressional leaders want to send help to salmon fishermen after a 2024 season showed meager results.

Earlier this week, Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Maxine Dexter and Janelle Bynum urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare a federal fishery resource disaster for the 2024 Oregon troll salmon fishery.

“This declaration is critical to provide economic relief to Oregon’s fisheries and coastal communities in addition to protecting the sustainability of wild salmon populations,” the lawmakers said...

Connecticut Lawmakers Address Secretary Lutnick, Demand Reinstatement Of Terminated NOAA Employees

On Friday, March 28, 2025, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Representatives John Larson and Rosa DeLauro sent a joint letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick demanding the reinstatement of 800-plus federal employees from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The employees, who were terminated as part of the new Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to cut back on costs across various federal departments, included those who worked at the Milford Laboratory, part of NOAA’s National Marine Fishery Services (NMFS)...

The Winding Glass: Seafood Consumption in Crossfire as Global Tariff War Erupts

In our top story today, Seafoodnews’ founder John Sackton highlights how the global tariff war will impact seafood consumption. Sackton wrote that the biggest losers in the global tariff wars in seafood will be American consumers, importers, processors, and distributors...

Trump Pauses Tariffs on USMCA-Compliant Imports from Mexico, Canada Until April 2

President Donald Trump’s social media posts are shaping trade policy in real-time: The president announced that some of the previously enacted 25% tariffs on Mexican goods will be delayed until April 2.

“After speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay Tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA Agreement. This Agreement is until April 2nd.”

An hour prior, Trump also posted about Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau on Truth Social...

Commerce Department Agrees to Reassess Maine Sea Grant Funding

US Senator Susan Collins announced that the Department of Commerce agreed to renegotiate funding for Maine Sea Grant.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, following a push from Collins, said that NOAA will renegotiate the terms and conditions of the work to be performed by Maine Sea Grant to "ensure that it focuses on advancing Maine’s coastal economies, working waterfronts and sustainable fisheries.”

“I appreciate the Secretary’s willingness to work together to ensure that Maine Sea Grant can continue to conduct research, support a robust pipeline of skilled labor, and ensure that our...

Trump, Carney Agree to Resume US-Canada Trade Negotiations

Trade discussions between the United States and Canada resumed late Sunday after Canada announced it would withdraw its proposed digital services tax targeting major US technology firms.

On June 27, President Trump stated that due to Canada’s intention to impose a tax on US tech firms, the US would halt all trade discussions with its northern neighbor “effective immediately.”

The tax was to take effect on Monday, June 30. According to the New York Times, the 3% digital services tax on major US tech firms like Meta, Amazon and...

US–China Trade Framework Advances, but Final Terms Still in Flux; Lutnick Hints at More Deals

The United States and China have inked a new trade agreement, President Donald Trump said on June 26.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick mirrored the news during an interview with Bloomberg TV, stating that the deal was signed in recent days. Neither Trump nor Lutnick shared further details.

Expana reported on June 11 that Lutnick said the US and China agreed to a trade framework, and the latest comments from both Lutnick and Trump don’t seem to add much...

The Retail Rundown: Seafood Leads Father’s Day Protein Promotions; CPI Shows Mild Increase

With Father's Day right around the corner, Expana's Courtney Shum reports that seafood is leading weekend protein promotions, accounting for 28% of total ad volume...

Today's Top Story: Commerce Secretary Lutnick Addresses Maine Lobster Tariffs, Promises Science-Backed Regulations

In our top story today, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick weighed in on pressing concerns for Maine's lobster industry, including US-Canada lobster tariffs and promising a commitment to "gold standard science" in future federal regulations impacting the state's staple seafood...

Today's Top Story: Secretary Lutnick Commits to Meeting with Alaska Seafood Industry Leaders

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick says he will join U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in sitting down with leaders of the Alaska seafood industry to discuss trade issues with Russia and ways that the Trump Administration can help chart a path forward...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #9

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #9."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...

ANALYSIS: Squid Market Faces New Crosscurrents Amid Recently Imposed Tariffs

In our top story today, Joshua Bickert analyzes the squid market as it continues its volatile trajectory into 2025, with many of the same challenges persisting and one significant development poised to reshape the broader market landscape. He reports that supply across most squid species and origins entering the U.S. remains difficult to navigate, while the market continues to show signs of disruption, with sourcing diversification now proving even more critical...

Trump Signs New Executive Order to Strengthen US Seafood Industry, Review Marine National Monuments

On April 17, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order, titled “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” which focuses on improving the domestic seafood industry by addressing unfair trade practices, instating new policies that promote domestic seafood resources, and revising current regulations that “overly burden America’s commercial fishing, aquaculture, and fish processing industries at the fishery-specific level.”

Collaborating with the domestic seafood industry

Per the order, the Secretary of Commerce (Howard Lutnick) will cooperate with the Regional Fishery Management Councils (RFMC), interagency partners, and other stakeholders...

Sec. Lutnick Taps Eugenio Piñeiro-Soler as Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries

Yesterday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—currently the parent department for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), or NOAA Fisheries—named Eugenio Piñeiro-Soler as the Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries, effective immediately.

Piñeiro-Soler takes the reins of the agency tasked with overseeing the nation’s marine fisheries and conservation work, which comes only a few weeks after several hundred fishery researchers and managers lost their jobs due to the recent decisions of the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)...

Today's Top Story: Grieg Seafood CEO Resigns

In our top story, Grieg Seafood ASA announced yesterday that its CEO, Andreas Kvame, would be stepping down from his post of ten years, effective immediately. The decision to resign came after a joint agreement between Kvame and Grieg Seafood’s Board of Directors. Since then, the Board has begun searching for a replacement Chief Executive Officer (CEO). However, for the time being, Regional Director of Grieg Seafood’s Rogaland division, Nina Willumsen Grieg, has been appointed interim CEO...

What Trump Tariffs Mean for Food and Agriculture Trade

US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% tariff on imports from China.

Tariffs for Canada and China are in effect as of February 4, while the tariffs on Mexico have been delayed for one month following negotiations with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who agreed to send 10,000 members of her country’s national guard to the border to address drug trafficking... 

US Fishing Industry Shares Goals, Asks For Support from Secretaries of Commerce and Agriculture

In a March 4 letter to Secretaries Howard Lutnick (Commerce) and Brooke Rollins (Agriculture) “over 170 businesses and associations from Alaska to the Gulf of America to Maine” asked the two Cabinet secretaries to help boost domestic markets, reduce regulatory burdens, combat global IUU fishing, support regional management councils, work with Congress to support fishing communities with programs such as Sea Grant, and maintain NOAA so that full access to the National Weather Service continues.

“America is a seafood superpower,” the letter reads...

Today's Top Story: Trudeau Not Willing to Lift Canada's Retaliatory Tariffs if Trump Leaves Some Tariffs on Canada

In our top story today, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is unwilling to lift Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on the United States if President Donald Trump leaves any U.S. tariffs on Canada, a senior government official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The official confirmed Trudeau's stance on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Other Canadian officials have publicly echoed Trudeau's position...

US Commerce Secretary Hints at Possible Tariff Relief for Canada, Mexico

The Trump administration’s tariff policy remains in flux as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that the president may adjust tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 5.

In a Fox Business interview on Tuesday, Lutnick stated, “I think (Trump)’s going to work something out with them.” He clarified that while a full pause isn’t on the table, Trump is open to a compromise with the U.S.’s neighbors.

“Both the Canadians and Mexicans were on the phone with me all day today trying to show that they’ll do...