Latest news with #ChristinaBurridge
CBC
7 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
China tariffs bite into B.C. spot prawn season, but foodies queue for kiss of the sea
Social Sharing Toronto resident Krista Jang showed off her "haul" on the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf in Vancouver — a bag of sweet and meaty spot prawns, live and kicking and fresh off the boat. The actress was raised in Vancouver and spot prawn season is one of the things she misses most. Jang said she would have them "Chinese style," steamed and dipped in a little soy sauce and sesame oil to make the most of their "pure and simple flavour." "I've had it my whole life," she said last week of the bright orange crustaceans. "I see that they sell [in Toronto], but it's so expensive, and it's much fresher and affordable here." British Columbia's spot prawn season is ending this week, with live prawns selling at around $20 to $25 per pound. This spring's season began in mid-May and lasted less than a month. WATCH | How to best enjoy spot prawns: Spot prawn season is on. Here's how to enjoy them 7 days ago Duration 1:44 As spot prawn season returns to B.C., CBC dropped by the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf near Granville Island to get some tips on how to enjoy fresh spot prawns. Domestic buyers like Jang make up only a small share of the market, but this year it was an important one, with China's 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian seafood putting a pinch on exports. China has recently bought upwards of 80 per cent of B.C.'s prawn exports, and Christina Burridge, executive director of the B.C. Seafood Alliance, said the March 20 tariffs were a "real problem" for fishermen and exporters. "Chinese customers don't want to pay that tariff. So, they expect that the fishermen here and the exporters will reduce their prices by at least 25 per cent, but it's impossible," said Burridge. Mike Atkins, executive director with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association, said the Chinese tariffs were the latest burden on fishermen, as the cost of bait and fishing supplies increased. "Our exporters this year are trying to shift markets a little bit, because it's tough to get it to China with the price, so they're trying to shift back to Japan, which [once] was our main market for spot prawns," said Atkins. "It is really tough for the fishermen this year." About 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of B.C. spot prawns are landed each year, and about 80 to 90 per cent are typically exported, said Atkins. The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food said the combined value of the province's prawn and shrimp exports were more than $98 million in 2023, with China buying 78 per cent.
CBC
28-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
With U.S. tariffs looming, British Columbians urged to buy B.C. seafood
The organization that represents fishermen and processors of wild-caught British Columbia seafood says with a 25 per cent U.S. tariff looming, it's more important than ever for consumers to buy local. But even then, with over 60 per cent of all wild B.C. seafood sold in the U.S. — half a billion dollars worth — it says the campaign probably won't be enough to stave off a serious blow to the industry. "I worry very much that we would be looking at layoffs in both processing plants and for fish harvesters. We would simply have to tie up vessels because there would not be a market," said Christina Burridge, B.C. Seafood Alliance executive director. On Tuesday, a White House spokeswoman confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to follow through on his tariff threat starting Feb. 1. Trump promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs against Mexico and Canada in response to what he called the failure of both countries to curb the illegal flow of people and drugs across the borders. B.C. Premier David Eby has also advised consumers to seek out Canadian products. "When you are at the grocery store and you have a chance to buy a product right now, [look] carefully at the labels to support Canadian jobs and to support Canada at this critical time," he said. B.C. seafood industry urges consumers to buy local as tariff deadline looms 19 hours ago Duration 1:59 Burridge went to Ottawa last Friday for urgent talks with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Agriculture Canada and Global Affairs Canada. She said expanding the Canadian market for B.C. seafood is tricky. "We would hope that people in B.C. buy more halibut and quite likely the price would be lower, which might be helpful. But I can't see selling a lot of our halibut to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa because they have Atlantic halibut," she said. "But we'll be looking at everything that we can." Canadian officials have been cycling through Washington in recent weeks to promote Canada's $1.3-billion border security plan and make the case that tariffs would hurt both economies. The federal government and some provinces, including B.C., are also looking at relief packages to help businesses and industries affected by Trump's tariffs. The B.C. Seafood Alliance represents 5,000 workers in the sector and is responsible for the majority of commercially harvested seafood in B.C., worth almost $1 billion in annual sales, according to the association's website.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
B.C. Seafood Alliance urges residents to shop local as tariffs loom
Christina Burridge, the executive director of the alliance, says that the threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports would devastate B.C.'s seafood sector. She's asking residents to buy local halibut, cod and crabs to help alleviate the impact of tariffs.
CBC
28-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. Seafood Alliance urges residents to shop local as tariffs loom
Christina Burridge, the executive director of the alliance, says that the threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports would devastate B.C.'s seafood sector. She's asking residents to buy local halibut, cod and crabs to help alleviate the impact of tariffs.
