WASHINGTON (AP) — Alaska’s congressional delegation welcomed Friday’s announcement by President Joe Biden that the U.S. will dramatically downgrade its trade status with Russia as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine, including banning imports of Russian seafood.
Russia exported $1.2 billion in seafood products to the U.S. in 2021. That made it the eighth-largest seafood exporter by value to the U.S. last year, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The main products were snow crab, king crab and cod, according to data from the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The U.S. ban on Russian imports also covers alcohol and diamonds.
“In Alaska, where we produce more than 60% of U.S. seafood, Russia competes directly with some of our most valuable species, such as salmon, crab and pollock, using inferior sustainability and processing practices,” Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in the release.
“It’s a big deal for crab,” Jamie Goen, executive director of Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, told the Daily News. The group represents about 350 members, including 60 boats in Alaska’s crab fleet.
“Ninety percent of king crab that came into the U.S. in recent years is from Russia. ... With this ban, that’s nearly a billion dollars of crab that’s getting cut off,” Goen said.
The broad trade shift, which revokes the “most favored nation” status for Russia, is being taken in coordination with the European Union and other countries.
“The free world is coming together to confront Putin,” Biden said. He also said countries were adding new names to a list of Russian oligarchs who are facing sanctions, and the U.S. is cutting the flow of high-end American products such as expensive watches, cars and clothing.
Stripping most favored nation status from Russia would allow the U.S. and allies to impose higher tariffs on some Russian imports, increasing the isolation of the Russian economy.
Biden’s changes on Russia’s trade status come as bipartisan pressure has been building in Washington to revoke what is formally known as “permanent normal trade relations” with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pressed the U.S. and allies to take the action against Russia. It follows days after the Biden moved to ban imports of Russian oil and gas products.
This week’s moves are the latest in a series of sanctions aimed at crippling the Russian economy and a sign that the U.S. and its allies will continue to use their financial heft to retaliate against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The other measures include the freezing of central bank assets, limits on exports and sanctions against Russian oligarchs and their families.
Reader Comments(0)