NFI Testifies Before USTR on Section 301 Tariff Investigation

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) testified before the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on May 5, 2026, as part of the agency's Section 301 tariff investigation into excess capacity. Representing the interests of the U.S. commercial seafood industry, NFI Executive Vice President and General Counsel Bob DeHaan presented the industry's position on the potential impact of new tariffs on seafood products.

In its testimony, NFI emphasized the relationship between international seafood trade and consumer access to affordable, nutritious food. The organization argued that the availability of seafood at accessible prices is important to achieving the nutrition objectives outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
NFI expressed concern that significant or potentially prohibitive tariffs could increase the cost of seafood products available to American consumers. According to the organization, higher costs could make it more difficult for families to access affordable seafood and could work against efforts to encourage greater consumption of nutrient-dense protein sources.

NFI's testimony highlighted the unique structure of the U.S. seafood supply chain and the industry's dependence on international markets.
The organization pointed to the limits of domestic seafood production, noting that U.S. wild fish stocks are managed around maximum sustainable yield and that climate, geography, and other factors can make direct domestic substitutes unavailable for certain seafood products.
As a result, U.S. seafood suppliers rely on global markets to provide consumers with a broad range of products throughout the year. This interconnected structure makes international trade an important component of the U.S. seafood supply chain.

The issue extends beyond seafood importers and exporters. NFI represents businesses across the commercial seafood value chain, including harvesters, processors, exporters, importers, distributors, retailers, and seafood restaurants.
According to NFI, its members collectively provide hundreds of millions of seafood meals to American families and export products to customers across five continents. This interconnected network demonstrates how trade policy decisions can have implications across multiple stages of the seafood supply chain.

Key Takeaways

• Trade policy directly affects seafood affordability: Potential tariffs could increase costs for consumers and businesses across the seafood value chain.
• Global markets are essential to U.S. seafood supply: Domestic production cannot provide the full range of seafood products demanded by American consumers.
• Supply chains are internationally interconnected: Seafood moves through a complex network of harvesters, processors, importers, exporters, distributors, retailers, and foodservice businesses.
• Nutrition and trade policy are connected: NFI argues that access to affordable seafood is important to achieving national dietary recommendations.
• Regulatory decisions can have broad industry impacts: Tariff policies can influence food prices, supply chain operations, market access, and consumer choice.