Alaska Seafood Exports to China Drop 55 Percent as Tariff Clash Sparks Bipartisan Pushback

Alaska’s once-thriving seafood exports to China have taken a devastating hit, with exports plunging from $1 billion in 2017 to just $450 million by 2020—a 55% drop amid intensifying U.S.-China trade tensions. Leading the list of affected products are wild-caught halibut ($184 million), wild salmon ($168 million), and fishmeal ($161 million), most of which originate from Alaska.

With no viable new markets emerging to replace lost Chinese demand, U.S. seafood exporters are under mounting financial stress. The long-term impact of these trade disruptions is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore in regions like Alaska, where fisheries are core to the local economy.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has emerged as a vocal critic of what she calls the President’s unchecked tariff authority. She has joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to support the 2025 Trade Review Act, introduced on April 3. This legislation would require the U.S. president to notify Congress within 48 hours of any new tariff actions. Without explicit Congressional approval, such tariffs would expire automatically after 60 days.

“It’s our constituents, our people, who bear the brunt of these tariffs,” Murkowski emphasized. She argued that decisions with such far-reaching economic consequences shouldn’t rest in the hands of a single office.

This new bill reflects growing frustration in both parties over how tariffs have been deployed during recent trade disputes, particularly as American industries like Alaska’s seafood sector struggle with prolonged market uncertainty and dwindling global competitiveness.