OATA has written to the Department for Business and Trade to voice concerns on behalf of the UK aquatics industry about the possibility of retaliatory tariffs being placed on imports from the United States.
In our letter, we highlighted three key issues that could significantly impact the UK industry:
- Limited UK production – There is very little domestic production of aquarium-related products, including live ornamental fish, making imports essential to our sector.
- Reliance on US trade – The United States is a major supplier to the UK aquatics market. We estimate the total economic value of this trade, including its wider impact across the supply chain, to be close to £12 million.
- Ongoing pressures on businesses – Aquatics businesses are already navigating a challenging landscape, with high energy costs and continued economic uncertainty affecting consumer confidence.
The Government has issued a call for evidence from businesses on potential UK responses to the US tariffs. We await the outcome of this consultation and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
