Southern Shrimp Alliance Welcomes New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and Vietnam

The Southern Shrimp Alliance applauds President Trump’s announcement of breakthrough trade agreements, resulting in Indonesia and Vietnam agreeing to the imposition of additional tariffs on exports to the United States, including shrimp, at 19% and 20%, respectively. The Trump Administration’s trade deals also include commitments from Indonesia to adopt laws prohibiting the importation of goods produced through forced or compulsory labor, improve enforcement of its own labor laws, and to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which were outlined in Tuesday’s Joint Statement between the United States and Indonesia.

The agreements stem from President Trump’s announcement of Liberation Day tariffs—32% on Indonesian goods and 46% on Vietnamese goods—that pressured both countries to combat unethical practices and open their markets to maintain competitive access to the U.S. market. Negotiations with the two other major foreign suppliers of shrimp to this market, Ecuador and India, are ongoing and critical to the U.S. shrimp industry.

“Counter-productive trade policies have outsourced our shrimp supply chain to countries engaging in forced labor, using banned antibiotics, and destroying the environment,” stated John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “We welcome President Trump’s agreements with Indonesia and Vietnam, which include commitments to reform, while imposing tariffs that offset unfair trade while suppliers right the ship.”

Import Surge Demands Urgent Action on Ecuador and India

According to U.S. International Trade Commission analysis, foreign shrimp comprises a staggering 93% of all shrimp consumed in America, with four countries dominating imports in 2024:

·      India: 656.4 million pounds (38.4% of total shrimp imports)

·      Ecuador: 433.8 million pounds (25.4%)

·      Indonesia: 297.1 million pounds (17.4%)

·      Vietnam: 152.1 million pounds (8.9%)

Shrimp imports have surged 11.4% over the first five months of 2025 – an additional 75 million pounds compared to the same period in 2024. Ecuador and India alone account for 52.8 million pounds or 70% of this increase.

These large surges occurred after significant additional duties were announced and paused to allow for negotiations. Suppliers from Ecuador and India exploited the lower 10% tariff to flood the U.S. market ahead of expected trade actions. The continuing surge threatens commercial shrimpers with a third consecutive lost season.

“The American shrimp industry, as well as the shrimp industries in Indonesia and Vietnam that have committed to reforms, should not be punished by the continued market manipulation by the Ecuadorian and Indian shrimp industries,” stated Williams. “These foreign suppliers have exploited President Trump’s period for negotiations to slam this market and will not stop until substantial duties are imposed.”

The Hidden Cost of Cheap Shrimp

While abuses have been identified in Indonesia and Vietnam, Ecuador’s and India’s shrimp industries are responsible for the most egregious cost-cutting at any price. Documented practices include:

·      Widespread forced labor and documentation of child labor (for India, see 2024 reporting by Corporate Accountability Lab, The Outlaw Ocean Project, AP, and CNN, and the Department of Labor listing; for Ecuador, see the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report)

·      Use of banned antibiotics that contribute to the creation and spread of antibiotic resistance

·      Destruction of mangroves, which sequester four times as much carbon as terrestrial forests and provide essential marine estuaries and protection to coastal areas

Other major markets, such as the EU and Japan, take significant steps to prevent contaminated shrimp from reaching their consumers. However, the United States remains the most open market for problematic shrimp from Ecuador and India, directly undercutting well-regulated American shrimpers.

Despite wholesale shrimp prices falling to record lows, retail prices have remained historically high since the pandemic, according to a September 2024 report from the Sustainability Incubator. Consumers have been paying premium prices while middlemen benefit from unethical cost-cutting from the use of banned antibiotics and tolerance of forced labor practices.

Benefits of the America First Trade Policy

The Southern Shrimp Alliance advocates for targeted tariffs on shrimp imports to offset systemic problems, including the global oversupply of shrimp driven by foreign shrimp aquaculture development projects, forced labor, banned antibiotics, IUU fishing, and inadequate safety systems.

Reaching agreements with Indonesia and Vietnam marks a significant step forward.

“Too many American shrimpers have spent the last two seasons tied up at the dock. President Trump’s additional tariffs on major shrimp suppliers will enable our fishermen to increase their production and be an economic boon to coastal communities,” Williams stated.

Williams emphasized the industry’s capacity to meet a greater share of American demand: “If unfair trade is offset, American shrimpers can easily increase the amount of domestic shrimp supplied to the U.S. market, providing more consumers with a superior-tasting, local shrimp.”

Yet, addressing the unethical trade practices of the remaining dominant shrimp-supplying countries, Ecuador and India, is essential to ensuring food security and a genuine recovery for American shrimping families—one they are hopeful will be realized soon.