Overseas
Global seafood trade is sailing through turbulent waters. Tariffs, sanctions, and divergent trade policies are squeezing long-established supply chains, creating uncertainty and volatility. According to RaboResearch reports published in spring 2025, shrimp, salmon, and tilapia producers face an increasingly complex landscape marked by rising costs and shrinking margins.
Shrimp
Shrimp is the most exposed segment. The United States—the world’s largest market for this product—has stepped up tariff measures on Asian imports. India, Vietnam, and Indonesia, the main suppliers, are struggling to pass higher costs on to consumers, making a decline in consumption likely. Excess supply is therefore being redirected to secondary markets, directly amplifying price volatility.
Salmon
Salmon is also in a phase of uncertainty. Some 87% of Canada’s exports go to the United States, and the prospect of additional tariffs—now under discussion—has already slowed investment. Long production cycles make the problem worse: a salmon farming operation can take up to three years to complete a cycle, making rapid supply adjustments impossible.
Tilapia
For tilapia, pressure stems from existing U.S. tariffs and rising production costs in Asia. China, the world’s leading producer, is diverting part of its sales to alternative markets such as Africa and Latin America. However, these regions have established local industries that are vulnerable to low-cost competition.
RaboResearch analysts note that the seafood industry has entered a “high-volatility phase,” where diversification is no longer optional but essential for survival. On both the supply and market sides, reducing dependence on a few consumption hubs is now the central challenge for the global seafood industry.
In 2025, seafood trade is defined by trade barriers and geopolitical uncertainty. Companies will need to prioritize resilience and diversification to navigate a rapidly changing environment.
Get the week’s most important seafood news in your inbox.
