China has long been a vital export market for the US lobster industry. The country is the world’s largest consumer and importer of the crustacean, which is eaten all year round and often gifted during holidays by Chinese families.

In Maine, which accounts for 90 per cent of the US lobster supply, fishers are turning to the domestic market amid ongoing trade uncertainties, but American buyers cannot fully replace international demand, according to Julian Klenda, CEO of the direct-to-consumer seafood company Maine Lobster Now.

“Domestic sales provide a buffer for Maine’s fishers, but the scale and frequency of global demand, particularly from China, remain unmatched,” he said.

Schultz agreed that China remained a crucial market for US lobster producers. “China remains the dominant market and continues to absorb the majority of live lobster exports, even with the existing tariffs in place,” he said.