Nova Scotia says immediate effect of China seafood tariff remains unclear – Halifax [Video]

Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister Kent Smith is downplaying the potential short-term effects of a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian seafood products that is scheduled to be imposed by China on Thursday.

Smith spoke with reporters Wednesday after attending a major seafood expo in Boston with Premier Tim Houston over the previous three days.

“I went to the show thinking that it was going to be mostly doom and gloom, and the feedback I got from most of our Nova Scotian companies was that of cautious optimism,” Smith said.

Live lobster shipments dominate Nova Scotia’s trade with China, but Smith said “lots of opportunity” remains to find other markets.

The minister said one promising alternative is the Philippines, and he knows of at least two Nova Scotian companies that are in discussions with importers from the Asian country.

Smith said that while international demand for live lobster remains strong, there …