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Trump signs executive order aimed at reviving U.S. seafood industry

Trump signs executive order aimed at reviving U.S. seafood industry

A new executive order signed by President Donald Trump is aiming to bring the American seafood industry back to life — especially along the Gulf Coast, where local fishermen have faced growing challenges from imported products.

The order, titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, places high tariffs on imported seafood and calls for a review of existing federal regulations that industry leaders say have limited the growth of domestic fisheries.

“We only supply about 5-10% of the shrimp in the country,” said Joe Spraggins, executive director for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. “So that tells you how much is coming in from other places.”

Supporters of the order say it’s a critical step in protecting an industry that’s been slowly dying as fuel costs rise and profits fall.

“The fuel has been going up and the shrimp was steady going down,” said Long Vu, a local shrimper. “Eggs going up in price, beef going up in price, shrimp still falling.”

Vu said the move gives him hope for the future. “I feel excited for everybody in this industry because it was dying,” he said. “There’s nobody left.”

Richard Marx, who works at Desporte Seafood in Biloxi, said the tariffs could give local products a better chance on the market.

“Having the tariffs impact the cost of imported fish allows us to sell more fish,” Marx said.

Business owners like Sean Desporte, whose family has run Desporte Seafood LLC for more than 130 years, believe the focus on domestic product is long overdue.

“I think domestic product is the best,” Desporte said. “We need to make the seafood great again.”

Spraggins added that the public has a right to know where their seafood comes from—and that local buyers expect quality from the Gulf.

“Everybody on the coast comes here expecting to get fresh seafood,” he said. “Let’s get it.”

Although restaurant prices may increase as a result of the tariffs, local business owners say the long-term benefits outweigh the costs — and that the new order could be a lifeline for an industry in need of revival.

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