Shrimps along the Gulf Coast call for stronger federal protections, saying that unfair foreign trade and international investment practices devastate their industry.
The shrimp along the Gulf coast say they need more federal government aid with cheap shrimp imports from countries like Ecuador, India, Indonesia and Vietnam which lower local demand.
With reciprocal prices on imports from these pending countries for 90 days, the shrimps wonder if they will obtain a lifeline that they say they are desperately needed. Some shrimp producers are ready to put pressure for measures such as 25%import cap.
Rodney Olender with Louisiana Shrimp Task Force breaks the waters of the Gulf coast for shrimp for over 40 years.
The shrimp season is only a month old. But Rodney said the shrimp industry has been suffering for years. Now he works with the Trump administration, hoping to save his business.
Some shrimps on the Gulf coast believe that even small prices can benefit from local breeding shrimps. (Fox News / Fox News)
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“We have to put a ceiling on the quantity of shrimp that enters the country,” said Rodney. “You are going to have an overabundance of shrimp on the market and our price will never rebound. We therefore hope that with these prices, maybe it will make things. This is the only thing we have to hang our hat right now. We are losing our industry.”
According to the Noaa Fisheries, between 2021 and 2024, the United States spent between $ 6 and $ 8 billion per year in shrimp other countries. This makes it the best import of seafood.
Thomas Olender said that the number of commercial fishermen has dropped by thousands in the past two decades. (Fox News / Fox News)
In 2023, the Noaa fisheries said that American seafood imports were greater than $ 20 billion than seafood exports.
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Thomas Olender de la Louisiana Shrimp Association said that a commercial gap aggravates things.
“You can only go so far. We feel like we have reached this brand,” said Thomas. “There is only one way left to go now and it’s back.”
Industry leaders claim that prices could be the key to the stay of their companies afloat.
The Louisiana Shrimp Task Force warns that American shrimps are undermined by cheap imports. (Fox News / Fox News)
“We already get reports that our shrimp prices are already starting to increase. So it was really good news that we have heard in recent weeks. The price of our product is increasing,” said Thomas. “Everything we have seen in the last 2 or 3 years, during this last administration, was a lower price.”
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On Wednesday, President Trump announced a 90 -day break on higher prices for 75 countries, even if he has kept a universal rate of 10% in place.
Shrimps are fighting for major policy changes, including one in which income from commercial penalties and tasks are returned to industry. Right now, this money is going to the treasure.
