Lawmakers yesterday called on the government to do more to help fishers respond to US tariffs, as 70 percent of Taiwan’s mahi mahi is exported to the US.
Speaking at a fisheries sale promotion event at the Legislative Yuan, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) and Asenay Daliyalrep said that Taiwan’s catch of mahi mahi comprises 10 percent, or 3,000 tonnes, of the annual global catch, with 70 percent being sold to the US.
The fish is processed in Vietnam and Thailand, which are also subject to heavy tariffs by the US, making many fishers hesitant about whether they want to catch mahi mahi for export, Chuang said.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
Chuang said that the Ministry of Agriculture should subsidize exports and expand markets, subsidize cold chain logistics and local added-value processing, and collaborate with domestic restaurants and shops to encourage domestic sales.
The Taiwanese fishery industry is not afraid of challenges or hardship, but is concerned that fishers’ efforts are not being met with equal pay, especially with US tariff policies, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) said.
Han urged the ministry to support the industry, and called on Taiwanese to consume more mahi mahi.
US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation.
A universal 10 percent tariff was still applied on most imports to the US.
Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said that the ministry would assist agriculture associations to obtain Marine Stewardship Council certification, also known as the blue fish label, to facilitate sales to the US and other countries.
In terms of domestic markets, the nation would promote sales of mahi mahi by encouraging sellers to use vacuum packaging and working with Fishery Associations to develop fish products.
Chuang said the ministry’s swift response to US tariff policies rendered the fishery agency timely aid and urged the government to implement more policies that would improve Taiwan’s cold logistics chain to boost export chains.
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