ASP Drops Complaint Against Quin-Sea Fisheries in Snow Crab Dispute

In the latest twist in the Canadian snow crab saga, the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) has dropped its complaint against Quin-Sea Fisheries, one of its member companies.

In October, the ASP, which represents seafood processors in Newfoundland and Labrador, filed an application to the province’s Labour Relations Board claiming that Royal Greenland-owned Quin-Sea Fisheries refused to hand over sales receipts that the ASP argued were required to pass along under the third-party review of 2024 snow crab sales...

Japan: Russian Snow Crab Imports up 20% in January-October, Pushing Down US Imports by 30%

Snow crab imports are on the rise partly due to the influx of crab from the Barents Sea in Russia. According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, imports of frozen snow crab from January to October were 17,618 tons, up 20% from last year. Of that, imports from Russia were 11,564 tons, up 20%, reported Minato Shimbun.

The winning bid price at an auction in Busan, South Korea, for new frozen opilio snow crab from the Russian...

Canada To Fund $4.3 Million Job Program for B.C. Agriculture and Food Sectors

On Friday, December 6, 2024, the Government of Canada announced the rollout of the Recruitment, Retention and Innovative Skills Training Program, which will provide new supports for farming, seafood, and food-processing sectors within British Columbia in an effort to address labor-market needs.

The program falls under the Agriculture and Food Workforce Development Initiative and is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF). Program offerings include employment and advancement opportunities for domestic workers and building and retainment measures for a skilled workforce. Applications for the...

US Crab Prices Soar Amid Diminished Supply

The 2024 Canadian snow crab season began with prices in April up 19% compared to the already remarkable levels of 2023, according to Urner Barry by Expana. Despite the increase, these prices remained manageable for retail and food service sectors, holding steady throughout the summer and into September. However, as inventories dwindled, prices surged further, with Canadian snow crab now up over 40% compared to the same time period last year.

More than 90% of U.S. imports of Canadian snow crab occurred early in the season when prices were lower, which benefited retailers and...

Cooke CEO Urges NL Premier to Withdraw from National Marine Conservation Area Proposal

Canadian seafood company Cooke Inc. urged the government to rethink the creation of a National Marine Conservation Area in Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador Province.

In a letter to NL’s Office of the Premier, Cooke Inc. CEO Glenn Cooke urged Premier Andrew Furey to withdraw from the Memorandum of Understanding to establish the conservation area in the South Coast Fjords region of the province.

Cooke argued that the conservation area, approximately 911,000 hectares (9,110 square kilometers) of provincial inshore waters, would “eliminate fisheries and...

Key Nova Scotia Lobster Fishing Areas to Open Tuesday After Delayed Start

Dumping Day for lobster fishing areas (LFA) 33 and 34 will begin on November 26. The staple Nova Scotia fishery was delayed due to heavy winds.

The start of commercial fishing for LFA 34, the larger of the two areas, will begin at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, while LFA 33 will begin at 7 a.m., per local media reports. Lobster Fishing Area 33 stretches from Cow Bay in Halifax Regional Municipality to Shelburne County; Lobster Fishing Area 34 covers Shelburne County to Digby County...

Price Setting Changes and Strike Options Highlight NL’s Snow Crab Fishery Reform

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has mapped out 10 decisions and directions that pave the way for sweeping changes to the massive snow crab fishery. This includes notable changes to the price-setting process and the potential for lockouts and strikes.

Gerry Byrne, NL’s Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture, said the plan to overhaul the fishery would ensure “management, efficiency, and fairness” in a statement released ahead of his appearance at the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) union Triannual Convention on November 18...

Nova Scotia Fishing Group Seeks $10 Million in Damages Over Illegal Lobster Trade

A Nova Scotia commercial lobster fishing group has taken legal action against Independent Fisheries Limited for allegedly buying illegally caught lobsters in St. Mary’s Bay.

The United Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) filed a Notice of Action with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia against the firm and its owner, Xiaoming Mao, along with Jason Lamrock, Tyler Nickerson, Sandra Nickerson, Shawna Nickerson, David Nickerson, and Wesley Nickerson, according to a UFCA press release.

The UFCA, which represents lobster fishing organizations throughout the province...

Canadian Court Shoots Down FFAW’s Push to Suspend 2024 Northern Cod Decision

A federal court in Canada shot down a request from the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) to halt the 2024 northern cod fishery off the north and east coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Back in June, Canada fisheries minister Diane Lebouthillier announced the end of the Northern cod moratorium, meaning the commercial cod fishery would reopen for the first time in over 30 years, as SeafoodNews reported. The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Canadian fishermen is 18,00 metric tons, 15,071.4t of which would head towards FFAW’s inshore...

FFAW Urging DFO to Adjust Gulf of St. Lawrence Redfish Management

The 4R inshore fleet has pushed Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to implement immediate change to the management of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Unit 1 Redfish fishery.

The call comes after dozens of harvesters rallied outside a Barry Group plant and pushed for a change to the “small, time-sensitive fishery.”

“DFO has not established harvest control rules that allow for a sustainable fishery for the 4R fleet, despite the critical importance of this resource to local communities,” explained Jason Spingle, FFAW-Unifor Secretary-Treasurer...

Canada, France Come to Terms on Atlantic Halibut Quotas

Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada announced that it had reached a new agreement with France (regarding St. Pierre and Miquelon) on a sharing arrangement of Atlantic halibut quotas.  

The announcement was made by Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier. The deal was inked on September 20 and will allow French harvesters from St. Pierre and Miquelon to catch 3 percent of the total allowable catch set by Canada.

France and Canada have been engaged in lengthy negotiations since 2016 to reach a...

Canada’s Conservative Party Rips Federal Government Handling Atlantic Canada Lobster Fishing

Canada’s Conservative Party slammed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government’s handling of alleged poaching around the Bay of Fundy.

Headlines in Canada have emerged with local fishing organizations in the New Brunswick areas alleging that both local and foreign poachers are targeting Lobster Area 36 ahead of the start of its November season.

The Maine Lobstermen’s Association told news outlets that it wasn’t aware of the allegations and denied the claims. Maine Department of Resources spokesperson Jeff Nichols said in a statement...

ANALYSIS: Canadian Lobster Prices Stabilize Amid Export Slowdown

Canadian live lobster prices have been stabilizing this autumn, following a gradual increase since June. Latest data from Expana shows a market price for live chix exported to Europe standing at 12.18 USD/lb (C+F incoterm) on 5/12/24, which represents a 60% rise since the year-low value of 7.6 USD/lb at the beginning of June...

Canada To Issue Exploratory Fishing Licenses for Quebec Lobster Industry in Spring 2025

On December 5, 2024, the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced the continuation of the data acquisition plan for Quebec’s lobster fishing industry.

Come spring 2025, the Department will issue new exploratory fishing licenses to assess lobster stock capacity and responsible fishery development as well as to support additional catches. License holders will participate in gathering critical data related to the stock assessment, including learning more about lobster abundance and distribution.

“Starting this spring, First Nations and industry will be..."

The Winding Glass: Heavy Lobster and Crab Tariffs Could Cripple the US; Canadian Seafood Industry

Canadian lobster and crab industries face severe stress due to President-elect Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs across the board on all Canadian imports to the US.

Under the worst-case scenario, higher sale prices would cut demand to the extent that lobster and crab would be left in the water. For both exports, the Canadians have no replacement for the US market. To increase sales to China, Japan, and Europe, they would have to offer drastic price cuts...

Canada and Province of New Brunswick to Fund $38M in Fish and Food Sector Improvements

The Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick recently announced the allocation of $38 million in funding for a variety of projects that will enhance New Brunswick’s fishing and seafood sector. Projects will focus on key updates to infrastructure and improvements to productivity and ecologically friendly practices as well as scientific partnerships.

The fisheries in New Brunswick are vital to Atlantic Canada’s economy, with commercial fish landings amounting to $4.289 billion in 2022, inaddition to the economies of the individual...

Fisheries Council of Canada Supports Swift Government Intervention in Port Disruptions

The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) supports the government’s decision to legislate port workers back to work. With disruptions from work stoppages at ports in both British Columbia and Montreal, FCC members are facing significant financial impacts, as critical freight remains stalled at docks or delayed in warehouses. This situation has broad implications, affecting not only the seafood industry but also the Canadian economy and consumers nationwide.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon’s intervention on Tuesday, directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the...

Les Hodges: The Holiday Buying Season Begins with New Alaska Fisheries

The Alaska king and snow crab fisheries are underway, with all eyes looking north. This season, the red king crab quota has been raised by 7.5% to 2.310mm pounds. Meanwhile, tanner (or bairdi) snow crab has seen a remarkable increase, tripling last year's quota to 6.27 million pounds. Additionally, there's an unexpected opening for opilio snow crab, with a quota set at 4.720mm pounds. However, St. Mathew blue king crab and the Pribilof red and blue king crab remain closed.

Norway also announced 2025 quotas...

Atlantic Groundfish Council, FFAW React After DFO Completes 3Ps Cod Stock Assessment

Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) held a technical briefing on the 3Ps cod stock assessment, which found that the stock is growing but at a slow pace, as has been the case in recent years.

“Continued growth is welcome news and while I am hopeful that this growth will be sustained, only time will tell us that for certain,” said Vanessa Byrne, Director of Fisheries Management and Science with the Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC). “We are doing what we can to...

Vasco & Co. Brand Filet Royal Smoked Atlantic Salmon Recalled Due to Listeria Concerns

Vasco & Co. brand Filet Royal Smoked Atlantic Salmon products have been recalled due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to a notice published by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

CFIA test results triggered the recall. According to the CFIA website, no illnesses have been reported associated with this product.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing recalled products from the marketplace...

DFO Seizes $100K Worth of Lobsters in Nova Scotia

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced on October 2 that it seized over 13,000 pounds of lobster worth over CA$100,000 (US$74,000) and made an arrest for crimes under the Fisheries Act, including maintaining an illegal lobster pound.

According to a DFO Facebook post, fisheries officers executed a search warrant at a Shelburne County, Nova Scotia facility. The warrant resulted in the seizure of the lobster, documents and electronic records, along with the arrest.

The DFO said the matter is under investigation for potential charges under Canada’s...

Canada Releases Plan to Phase Out Open Net-Pen Salmon Farming in British Columbia

After notable delays, Canada’s federal government released its transition plan to phase out open net-pen salmon farming in British Columbia. 

The government said it would implement a ban on open net-pen aquaculture in B.C. by June 30, 2029. It will require new salmon aquaculture licenses to utilize closed containment technology.  

Canada’s Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan for British Columbia consists of four themes:

- support for First Nations, workers, and communities in this transition 

- identifying economic supports for the adoption of innovative and clean aquaculture technology...

New $100 Million-plus Arctic Char Facility Gets Support from Canadian Government

The Manitoba government said it will support the development of Sapphire Springs Inc.'s CA$145 million (US$106 million) Arctic char facility.

The planned aquaculture and processing facility would be Canada’s largest for Arctic char and position the province as a leader in production of the species. The facility will be located a short drive north of Winnipeg in Rural Municipality (RM) of Rockwood, providing more than 100 full-time jobs for Manitobans, per Minister Jamie Moses and Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn...