Tariff tension felt by southwestern Ontario fisheries [Video]

Southwestern Ontario’s commercial fishing industry is feeling the pressure of looming U.S. tariffs expected on April 2 on all Canadian goods.

That includes fish caught and processed in Ontario, a vast majority of which comes from Lake Erie and is exported south of the border.

A 25 per cent tariff on Ontario fish would deal a significant blow to the region’s commercial fisheries and processors, said Vito Figliomeni, executive director of the Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association (OCFA). 

“First off, you’re going to have a lot of inward cost-cutting, right? I imagine layoffs, things of that nature,” he said.

“U.S. consumers won’t be able to buy our goods at higher levels, they’ll find alternative proteins to buy that are cheaper, and we will definitely struggle.”

It’s a concern Matt McTaggart has been hearing from the fishermen he works with. 

McTaggart’s company, St. Thomas-based Steelhead Food Co., processes fish caught by commercial boats in Lake Erie and Lake Huron, including pickerel, whitefish, and …