Shrimp demand is growing, and tariffs could help local industry

Americans are buying more shrimp these days, and U.S. tariffs could help the local industry, experts say.

“Americans love shrimp, and shrimp is taking an increasing share of U.S. seafood consumption,” said University of Florida professor Andrew Ropicki, who specializes in marine resource economics.

Ropicki was part of a group that met this week in Mayport to take stock of issues in the industry. The meeting was led by the Northeast Florida Regional Council.

Cassidy Taylor of NEFRC explained that the group has a grant to conduct a shrimping industry market study and has been holding public meetings for the past seven months to get input.

The market study is expected to be released by the end of May.

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Though demand for shrimp is increasing, Ropicki said the rest of the world produces a lot of aquaculture shrimp and they’ve gotten really good at it, especially Ecuador.

Shrimp is a global commodity. The price has fallen substantially, and imported aquaculture shrimp is cheaper for restaurants to buy.  

But current tariffs will likely lead to a 10% cost in imported shrimp, a cost that will be passed to the consumer. Ropicki said economists reason that increased tariffs on imported shrimp could increase the demand and price for local shrimp.

“The market price is really determined by imports so yes, when you get that price increase, the shrimping industry in the U.S. will benefit as well,” Ropicki said.

Angela TenBroeck of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture Excellence in Conservation, a nonprofit in Jacksonville, suggested Mayport shrimpers and fishers set up a cooperative to pool their resources.

“The idea is that we keep this area as a working waterfront for the region to have a branded opportunity in the Mayport shrimp as well as the other Mayport fisheries opportunities and value-added products,” she said.  

TenBroeck said the “Fresh From Florida” program of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services wants more shrimp.

“They have requested shrimp and fish to go into the schools. So it’s an opportunity for you to have money. You know how much they’ll pay you, and you know how much you need to produce,” TenBroeck said.

Fourth-generation shrimper David Cook from Fernandina Beach liked the idea of a cooperative, but his main concern was infrastructure for the industry. ”You have all the docks and properties being sold to higher-end development, and the properties are just going away,” Cook said.