The seafood industry is no stranger to challenges, but for Bryan Szeliga, owner of Fishtown Seafood, the latest hurdle is as unpredictable as the tides.
The Trump administration’s on-again, off-again 25% import tax on Canadian seafood has thrown a wrench into his Philadelphia business, leaving him struggling to plan ahead. With 60–70% of his oysters coming from Canada, the constant flip-flopping means one thing: uncertainty.
Last week, the tariffs went into effect, only to be partially suspended days later for a month. That temporary relief has given Szeliga time to strategize, but if the full tariffs return, he’ll have no choice but to raise prices and reduce customer options. “Part of the problem with the ‘chaos and shock and awe’ approach to the negotiation is you can’t actually plan for what is and isn’t going to happen,” he explained.
Canadian oysters are known for their size and strong flavor. While domestic alternatives exist, they won’t fully replace the appeal of Canadian varieties. “There’s a brand recognition element that our customers prefer and have grown to love,” Szeliga said.
For now, he’s working with suppliers and Fishtown restaurant partners to reshape menus in anticipation of future price hikes. Some premium Canadian oysters may be swapped out for domestic or lower-cost alternatives, ensuring supply remains steady. But even as he navigates these shifts, the bigger concern is the instability that tariffs create in the market.
Seafood imports are big business. In 2023 alone, the U.S. imported $25.5 billion in seafood, with Canada supplying $3.6 billion of that total. In 2024, seafood imports from Canada rose 10% to nearly $4 billion.
Even though oysters make up a smaller share of that figure compared to shrimp, salmon, and tuna, they are experiencing significant growth in demand. Oysters even cracked the National Fisheries Institute’s Top 10 List for the first time in 2022.
That growing popularity is now at risk. With tariffs creating economic uncertainty, U.S. seafood suppliers may be forced to scale back their offerings, limiting consumer choice and slowing the market’s momentum. Szeliga fears that what was once a booming industry could now “fade and fizzle.”
Szeliga warns that Canadian suppliers may start prioritizing other buyers, limiting what they send to the U.S. in response to tariff confusion. Since domestic oyster farms are already at full capacity, farmers would have needed to expand operations long before this trade battle erupted.
As Fishtown Seafood adapts, customers should expect fewer options and higher prices. “Some products that were really ‘value’ purchases in the past—those suppliers now realize their worth,” Szeliga said. “I don’t think all prices are going to come back down.”
