Shrimp Tariffs

This thing is LONG overdue...

http://www.wpmi.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=C8592E62-5E3E-4BD9-A6F5-DA793C3C809E

Oh boy... There goes the 2lbs for $7.99 specials out the door (or out to sea I should say)..

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

This thing is LONG overdue...

http://www.wpmi.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=C8592E62-5E3E-4BD9-A6F5-DA793C3C809E

If you believe in Big Government, heavy regulation and intense government interference in private commerce it is.

If some Vietnamese dude wants to sell me cheap shrimp, why the h_ll shouldn't I be allowed to buy it?

Just wondering.

Now mind y'all that I'm NOT trying to start a shrimp war and I do not know the laws of the Department of Commerce but having several years' experience with Alaska Seafood International, Women's Fisheries Network in Boston and one of the largest seafood companies in Boston, here are some facts.

1. After enduring years of plummeting prices the U.S. Southern Shrimp Alliance filed an antidumping petition last Dec. with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission against Thailand, China and Vietnam (Bangladesh should have been included) and asked the Department to impose tariffs.

2. The value of the U.S. shrimp harvest dropped by more than half between 2000 and 2002 - from $1.25 billion to $560 million and that there was a 40% drop in employment in Southern shrimp factories.

3. That Vietnamese dude needs very little to farm raise his shrimp....some hatch, a pond, some shrimp food, a net. The U.S. Southern Shrimp Alliance harvests white and pink Gulf shrimp, wild shrimp, not farm raised. This requires a boat, fuel, a crew, expensive equipment.

4. The European Union and Japan have recently clamped down on imported shrimp from these countries because of concerns about antibiotics in farm-raised shrimp, forcing more Asian exporters into the American market at lower prices.

Ok, ok, enough of the statistics. Alaska Seafood International was shipping it's Alaskan-caught cod to CHINA for processing then having it all shipped back to Alaska because IT WAS CHEAPER. We had to pay our processors at least $10.00/hr so they could survive. The workers in China made $.14/hour........yes, that's right, 14 CENTS an hour, working 7 days a week. Who can compete with that? You can't. Consequently all our fish processors lost their jobs. Sometimes tariffs are good things!

You make good points Lleechef... But when you get burned paying 15 bucks plus a pound... Well.. Sort of takes the seafood enjoyment out of the working class...

quote:

Originally posted by BT

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

This thing is LONG overdue...

http://www.wpmi.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=C8592E62-5E3E-4BD9-A6F5-DA793C3C809E

If you believe in Big Government, heavy regulation and intense government interference in private commerce it is.

If some Vietnamese dude wants to sell me cheap shrimp, why the h_ll shouldn't I be allowed to buy it?

Just wondering.

Obviously,your job has not been shipped overseas----yet!

I very much dislike all tariffs with one exception. There should be a large tariff on imported lamb and wool. The proposed $12 a pound tariff on imported wool cloth and clothing would go a long way to help our domestic sheep industry.

quote:

Originally posted by tmiles

I very much dislike all tariffs with one exception. There should be a large tariff on imported lamb and wool. The proposed $12 a pound tariff on imported wool cloth and clothing would go a long way to help our domestic sheep industry.

It would help our domestic textile industry too.

I believe there are also some pretty strong environmental arguments in favor of limiting imports of Thai shrimp... http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

quote:

Originally posted by BT

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

This thing is LONG overdue...

http://www.wpmi.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=C8592E62-5E3E-4BD9-A6F5-DA793C3C809E

If you believe in Big Government, heavy regulation and intense government interference in private commerce it is.

If some Vietnamese dude wants to sell me cheap shrimp, why the h_ll shouldn't I be allowed to buy it?

Just wondering.

Obviously,your job has not been shipped overseas----yet!

Let's put it this way--I was, before retirement, in a service industry that can only be provided by direct contact with the consumer. So, you are right.

But I don't think greater governmental interference in our lives is the way to solve this problem. If Americans don't want their jobs sent overseas, they'll stop buying foreign products--without the government forcing them. Strange how so many folks who want the government to protect them from foreign competition drive foreign cars and happily wear clothing made in China. Just don't buy all that cheap stuff if it matters to you.

I plan to keep buying it because I believe that we are all better off when goods are produced where they can be produced most efficiently. These days, that means most basic manufacturing and, increasingly a lot of agriculture (and aquaculture), will be done overseas while Americans occupy themselves doing creative, service and technologically sophisticated jobs.

Now Ileechef and others here have said that Gulf shrimp taste better than the farm-raised Asian product. I question that a bit just because the wild Gulf shrimp are not always kept quite as fresh as they should be getting to distant consumers while the Asian product are usually flash frozen right out of the pond. But still, if the wild Gulf shrimp are better, people should be willing to pay more for them. Why do we need tarrifs?

quote:

Originally posted by dctourist

I believe there are also some pretty strong environmental arguments in favor of limiting imports of Thai shrimp... http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

Please explain. I believe the overwhelming majority of imported shrimp are farm-raised; those from the Gulf caught by trawling. The web site you mentioned indicates there may be "environmental damage" from shrimp farming--as opposed to destruction of non-target species in the case of trawling. So which should we favor--environmental destruction in Asia or in our own Gulf?

Well, I'll just paste in what the link said for convenience; sounds like their argument is that, with Gulf shrimp, at least there is oversight and efforts exist to reduce bycatch, and trap-caught shrimp (if you know that's what you're getting) are pretty safe.
*******************
More than 20 different species of shrimp or prawns enter U.S. markets. The majority of shrimp is wild-caught, but an increasing amount is farm-raised. Most farmed shrimp comes from Asia, where clearing of coastal land for shrimp farming has damaged habitats and displaced local fisheries. Wild shrimp are usually caught in trawl nets. Tropical shrimp trawling has the highest bycatch of any commercial fishery: 3 to 15 pounds of unwanted animals are caught and discarded per pound of shrimp landed. Endangered sea turtles are also caught and killed in shrimp nets. Therefore, we recommend that consumers “Avoid” imported shrimp–-whether it is wild-caught or farmed. U.S. shrimp trawlers outfit their nets with devices to let sea turtles and some fish escape from their nets. In addition, U.S. shrimp farmers are subject to laws limiting environmental impacts. Therefore, we rate U.S. trawl-caught or farmed shrimp in the “Caution” category due to efforts to reduce bycatch. Trap-caught shrimp are your “Best Choice” for shrimp because this method is a low-bycatch, sustainable alternative.

This has been an interesting thread, that runs over into other interesting topics. I asked a few weeks ago if there was a "brand" of shrimp to buy. leechief mentioned "Ocean Garden", a brand that I have seen in the past, but that I have not been able to find since looking for it. It sounds that trap caught domestic shrimp are the best. How do I find them, and what should I expect to pay? Sometimes as in the organic egg thread, we see value and quality in a brand, and are willing to pay more. I look for "dolphin safe" on tuna. Will I soon be able to look for "wild trapped" on a package of shrimp?

The problem with trap caught shrimp is, unless you live in an are where they fish that way, you will never see that product. The trap fisheries are so small that the product is usually absorbed in the local market. If you can find fresh or frozen "Spot shrimp" from the north west U.S. or British Columbia, BUY THEM. They are in my opinion, the very best shrimp in the world. And I have been in the shrimp importing business for 5 years.

good luck!

So Macdaddy,since you are actually in the shrimp biz, what do they think in the industry about the tariff that started this thread?

We think it's B.S. The domestic shrimp fishery supplies less than 20% of the U.S. market, But they are talking about a potential 120% tarrif on Chinese, and Vietnamese Product?? Hogwash. They provide a cheaper product. And Americans werre happy to buy it. Southern polititions are the reason that tarrif is in place.

Can someone help a sister out???Question...When i devein shrimp what Exactly is that stuff?? A vein, a nerve or the poop shoot?? Someone told me it was a nerve but....

Poop shoot, sister, from what I have always been told.

Dennis in Cary

quote:

Originally posted by DLnWPBrown

Poop shoot, sister, from what I have always been told.

Dennis in Cary

Me too!!

Happy Holidays, Dennis

quote:

Originally posted by Macdaddy

We think it's B.S. The domestic shrimp fishery supplies less than 20% of the U.S. market, But they are talking about a potential 120% tarrif on Chinese, and Vietnamese Product?? Hogwash. They provide a cheaper product. And Americans werre happy to buy it. Southern polititions are the reason that tarrif is in place.

Well, in Southern LA and parts of Alabama, that is the major industry, unless you want to go and work on the offshore rigs. There is not much more in the way of industry, especially in South LA.

Texas shrimpers have been using TED ( like a "trap-door") escape hatch in their nets for the Ridley sea turtles which are doing well. Now the enviormentalists want them to use even bigger ones in their nets for the loggerhead turtle and some other kind of turtle that I cannot think of its name, but they are bigger than the Ridley. I doubt many Asian shrimp farmers have ANY enviormental safety features in place.

I am lucky to be able to go down to Kemah and buy shrimp when I want it a few steps from the bay where it was caught. However, when buying shrimp products in the groceries stores, how can you tell what type it is? Most people in my neck of the woods try to be careful to buy Gulf shrimp in support of the shrimpers, I don't know about such a steep tariff, but I am in agreement with a tariff on imported shrimp. I do know that a lot of shrimpers have been having problems since the Asian shrimp came along.

I understand your point. But 90% of shrimp from overseas is pond raised. Not trawl caught. they drain the ponds and harvest with a huge saine net. No Turtles. There is some wild production but it is very very minimal.

quote:

Originally posted by Nemis

quote:

Originally posted by DLnWPBrown

Poop shoot, sister, from what I have always been told.

Dennis in Cary

Me too!!

Happy Holidays, Dennis

You too, and watch that shrimp poop........ it can be mighty shrimpy...LOL!

Dennis in Cary

Interesting stats, Macdaddy - the quote I included above, from seafoodwatch.org, says most imported shrimp is wild caught, but that the farmed shrimp is also bad for the environment.

quote:

Originally posted by DLnWPBrown

Poop shoot, sister, from what I have always been told.

Dennis in Cary

I guess "devein" is just more of an eloquent way of saying what it's not!

quote:

Originally posted by Macdaddy

We think it's B.S. The domestic shrimp fishery supplies less than 20% of the U.S. market, But they are talking about a potential 120% tarrif on Chinese, and Vietnamese Product?? Hogwash. They provide a cheaper product. And Americans werre happy to buy it. Southern polititions are the reason that tarrif is in place.

Whatever. I have yet to see a "superior" import from SEA sources. Give me 6-12 range per # from imported Vietnam and/or China sources and I will buy it. Surely, it's got to be cheaper than GOM sources, right???????

quote:

Originally posted by Macdaddy

We think it's B.S. The domestic shrimp fishery supplies less than 20% of the U.S. market, But they are talking about a potential 120% tarrif on Chinese, and Vietnamese Product?? Hogwash. They provide a cheaper product. And Americans werre happy to buy it. Southern polititions are the reason that tarrif is in place.

Ouch! My hands are sore from applauding

quote:

Originally posted by Macdaddy

I understand your point. But 90% of shrimp from overseas is pond raised. Not trawl caught. they drain the ponds and harvest with a huge saine net. No Turtles. There is some wild production but it is very very minimal.

And, in the process, they probably don't trash the environment nearly as badly as those pig farmers in North Carolina or even the catfish farmers around the South (which I suggest might be a better target for any residents of the Southeast or Gulf Coast with environmental interests).

AHA! Now there's the REAL problem! Do you want quality or do you want a cheap product?? Because you CAN'T have both!!!!!!

A good example: I cater to private corporate jets. They don't care how much they spend, as long as they have first class food. Last night one of my assistants cooked some black tiger shrimp (farm-raised from Asia) for a large seafood platter that I was doing this morning. The black tigers were sent in by mistake and were destined to be returned but he didn't know this. I took one look at those nasty shrimp and went through the roof! I went to the freezer, thawed out a box of Ocean Garden shrimp (from the Gulf), cooked them and they were pristine.

I have been in the restaurant biz for 25 years. I have many colleagues in MANY states and MANY countries and for some silly reason we all agree: Gulf Shrimp are the best. Put the tariff on the Asians and make the Gulf shrimp more competitive, thus raising the price of Asian shrimp so they will stop dumping on the US market.

Where does one buy Ocean Garden shrimp? I do not believe that I have ever seen them in a store.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

AHA! Now there's the REAL problem! Do you want quality or do you want a cheap product?? Because you CAN'T have both!!!!!!

A good example: I cater to private corporate jets. They don't care how much they spend, as long as they have first class food. Last night one of my assistants cooked some black tiger shrimp (farm-raised from Asia) for a large seafood platter that I was doing this morning. The black tigers were sent in by mistake and were destined to be returned but he didn't know this. I took one look at those nasty shrimp and went through the roof! I went to the freezer, thawed out a box of Ocean Garden shrimp (from the Gulf), cooked them and they were pristine.

I have been in the restaurant biz for 25 years. I have many colleagues in MANY states and MANY countries and for some silly reason we all agree: Gulf Shrimp are the best. Put the tariff on the Asians and make the Gulf shrimp more competitive, thus raising the price of Asian shrimp so they will stop dumping on the US market.

Ha. The "black tiger" shrimp are sold @ times in a local grocery store here, usually at about two dollars more per lb. than the other "previously frozen, USDA inspected" shrimp.