And shrimp industry recovery
For nearly 50 years, James Blanchard has made his living in the Gulf of Mexico, pulling shrimp from the sea.
It’s all he ever wanted to do, since he was around 12 years old and accompanied his father, a mailman and part-time shrimper, as he spent weekends trawling the marshy waters off louisiana. Blanchard loved the adventure and splendid isolation.
He made a good living, even as the industry collapsed around him. He and his wife, Cheri, bought a agreeable home in a tidy subdivision here in the heart of Bayou Country. They helped put three kids thru college.
But eventually Blanchard began to contemplate his forced retirement,selling his 63-foot boat and hanging up his wall of big green fishing nets once he turns 65 in February.
“The amount of shrimp was not a problem,” said Blanchard, a fourth-generation shrimper who routinely hauls in north of 30,000 flash-frozen pounds on a two-week trip. “It’s making a profit, because the prices were so low.”
Then came President Trump, his tariffs and famously itchy trigger finger.
Tariffs may slow economic growth,discombobulate markets and boost inflation.Trump’s single-handed approach to tax-and-trade policy has landed him before the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule by summer on a major test case of presidential power
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CHAUVIN, La.- For generations, the bayous of Louisiana have provided a livelihood for shrimpers like A.J. LeBlanc. But these days, LeBlanc is spending more time fixing boats than fishing for shrimp.
“It’s just… it’s tough,” he said,wiping grease from his hands. “The price of diesel is through the roof. The price of nets, everything is up. And the shrimp ain’t biting like they used to.”
LeBlanc and other Louisiana shrimpers are caught in a confluence of economic pressures, including rising fuel costs, supply chain issues and, most considerably, tariffs on imported seafood.These tariffs, imposed during the Trump governance as part of a trade war with China, were intended to protect American shrimp fishermen. But they’ve had the unintended consequence of driving up the cost of shrimp feed, nets and other essential supplies, while also limiting export markets.
“We were told these tariffs would help us,” said Blake guidry, a third-generation shrimper.”But all they’ve done is make it harder to compete. We’re paying more for everything, and we can’t sell our shrimp as easily.”
The tariffs have also led to retaliatory tariffs from China on U.S.seafood exports, further hurting Louisiana shrimpers. China was once a major market for Gulf shrimp,but now,with the tariffs in place,it’s much more tough to sell there.
“We’ve lost a significant portion of our export market,” said John Williams, executive director of the louisiana Shrimp Assn. “The tariffs have created a situation where it’s cheaper for Chinese consumers to buy shrimp from other countries.”
The Biden administration has maintained the tariffs, despite calls from louisiana lawmakers and the shrimp industry to remove them. The administration argues that the tariffs are necessary to protect American jobs and national security.
But for shrimpers like leblanc and Guidry, the tariffs are a burden they can barely afford. They’re struggling to make ends meet, and many are worried about the future of the industry.
“I don’t know how much longer we can keep doing this,” LeBlanc said. ”If things don’t change,I’m afraid we’re going to lose a way of life that’s been around for generations.”
Guidry agrees. “We need help,” he said. “We need the tariffs removed. We need a level playing field.”
The situation is notably dire for small,self-reliant shrimpers like LeBlanc and guidry,who don’t have the resources to absorb the increased costs. They’re facing a tough choice: try to weather the storm, or give up and find another way to make a living.
“It’s a heartbreaking situation,” Williams said. “These are hard-working people who are just trying to provide for their families. They deserve a fair chance to compete.”
The Louisiana shrimp fishery is facing a crisis, with the value of its commercial catch plummeting to $269 million in 2023 and $256 million in 2024. This decline is largely attributed to tariffs imposed by China and Vietnam in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.
“it’s getting to the point that we are on our knees,” says Acy Cooper, president of the louisiana Shrimp Assn.
The number of licensed shrimpers in Louisiana has dwindled from over 6,000 in the 1980s to fewer than 1,500 today. The economic impact is visible in towns like Houma, where businesses are closing and job opportunities are scarce, contributing to a rise in drug overdoses.
Latrevien Moultrie, 14, fishes in houma, La.
“It’s affected everybody,” he said.”it’s not only the boats, the infrastructure, the packing plants. It’s the hardware stores. The fuel docks. The grocery stores.”
Two of the Blanchardses’ three children have moved away, seeking opportunity elsewhere. One daughter is a university law professor. Their son works in logistics for a trucking company in Georgia. their other daughter, who lives near the couple, applies her advanced degree in school psychology as a stay-at-home mother of five.
(Cheri Blanchard,64 and retired from the state labor department,keeps the books for her husband.)
It turns out the federal goverment is at least partly responsible for the shrinking of the domestic shrimp industry. In recent years, U.S. taxpayers have subsidized overseas shrimp farming to the tune of at least $195 million in advancement aid.
Seated at their dining room table, near a Christmas tree and other remnants of the holidays, Blanchard read from a set of scribbled notes – a Bible close at hand – as he and his wife decried the Trump’s brash persona and can’t stand all the childish name-calling. For a long time, he couldn’t bear listening to Trump’s speeches.
“You didn’t ever really listen to many of Obama’s speeches,” cheri interjected, and James allowed as how that was true.
“I liked his personality,” Blanchard said of the former Democratic president. “I liked his character. But I didn’t like his policies.”
It’s the opposite with Trump.
Unlike most politicians, Blanchard said, when Trump says he’ll do something he generally follows through.
Such as tightening border security.
“I have no issue at all with immigrants,” he said,as his wife nodded alongside. ”I have an issue with illegal immigrants.” (She echoed Trump in blaming Renee Good for her death last week at the hands of an ICE agent.)
“I have sympathy for them as families,” Blanchard went on, but crossing the border doesn’t make someone a U.S. citizen. “if I go down the highway 70 miles an hour in that 30-mile-an-hour zone,guess what? I’m getting a ticket. … Or if I get in that car and I’m drinking, guess what? They’re bringing me to jail. So what’s the difference?”
Between the two there isn’t much – apart from Trump’s “trolling,” as Cheri called it – they find fault with.
Blanchard hailed the lightning-strike capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as another example of Trump doing and meaning exactly what he says.
“When Biden was in office, they had a $25-million bounty on [Maduro’s] head,” Blanchard said. ”but apparently it was done knowing that it was never going to be enforced.”
More empty talk, he suggested.
Just like all those year
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What is the Digital markets Act (DMA)?
Table of Contents
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a European union law designed to limit the market power of large online platforms, designated as “gatekeepers,” and promote fairer competition in digital markets. It officially came into effect on May 2, 2023, with most provisions becoming applicable on March 7, 2024. The European Commission’s official DMA page provides detailed information on its objectives and scope.
The DMA addresses concerns that a few dominant tech companies control access to essential digital services, hindering innovation and consumer choice. it aims to ensure that users have more control over their data, can easily switch between platforms, and benefit from a wider range of services. The law focuses on preventing “gatekeepers” – large platforms that control access to digital markets – from abusing their market position.
For example, the DMA prohibits gatekeepers from favoring their own services over those of competitors in ranking or visibility. The European Commission designated six gatekeepers on September 6, 2023: Alphabet (Google), Apple, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and ByteDance (TikTok). These companies are now subject to specific obligations under the DMA.
What are the key obligations for Gatekeepers?
Gatekeepers face a series of specific obligations under the DMA, designed to open up their platforms and promote competition. These obligations are categorized into “dos” and “don’ts.”
- Interoperability: Gatekeepers must allow their messaging services to interoperate with smaller platforms,enabling users to communicate across different apps. This interoperability requirement for messaging apps became enforceable on January 18,2024.
- Data Portability: Users must be able to easily port their data between platforms.
- Fair Access: Gatekeepers must provide fair access to their platforms for businesses, including app developers.
- No Self-Preferencing: They cannot favor their own services over those of competitors.
- No Data Combination: Gatekeepers are restricted from combining personal data across different services without explicit consent.
The European Commission provides a detailed list of all obligations on its website.These rules aim to level the playing field and prevent gatekeepers from leveraging their dominance to stifle competition.
As an example of the “no self-preferencing” rule, Google was required to allow users to easily uninstall pre-installed apps on Android devices and provide choices for default search engines.The European Commission announced this requirement on March 7,2024,alongside other compliance measures for several gatekeepers.
what are the penalties for non-compliance?
The DMA establishes significant penalties for non-compliance, designed to deter gatekeepers from violating the rules. Companies found in breach of the DMA can face fines of up to 10% of their total worldwide annual turnover, and up to 20% for repeated infringements. The European Commission outlines the penalty structure on its website.
In addition to fines, the Commission has the power to impose behavioral remedies, such as requiring companies to change their business practices, and structural remedies, such as forcing them to sell off parts of their business. These remedies are intended to address the root causes of the violations and restore competition.
On March 7, 2024, the European Commission launched investigations into Meta, Apple, and Alphabet regarding potential non-compliance with the DMA. These investigations demonstrate the Commission’s commitment to enforcing the new rules and ensuring that gatekeepers adhere to their obligations. The potential fines for these investigations could reach billions of euros.
How does the DMA affect consumers?
The DMA is expected to benefit consumers by increasing choice, lowering prices, and improving the quality of digital services. By promoting competition, the DMA aims to encourage innovation and prevent gatekeepers from exploiting their market power.
Specifically, consumers will likely experience:
- More App Choices: Easier access to option app stores and the ability to sideload apps.
- Greater Data Control: More control over their personal data and how it is used.
- Interoperable Messaging: The ability to communicate seamlessly across different messaging platforms.
- reduced Lock-In: Eas