DFO to Open the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program on August 24

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan announced the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program will open for applications on August 24, 2020, through to September 21, 2020.

The CAD $469.4 million programs will work within the unique pay structures and seasonal nature of the fishing sector as it works to provide support for Canadian harvesters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding is the largest investment in the sector in almost 20 years...

Instacart, Costco Partner for Same-day Delivery Throughout Canada

Instacart and Costo announced they have partnered to provide same-day delivery from 76 Costco warehouses across Canada.

The companies recently completed a two-month pilot in Ontario warehouses and the nationwide partnership will get Costco’s products to customer’s doors in as quickly as two hours.

Customers who are looking to shop from Costco’s seafood, produce, meat, deli, frozen foods and other items can now order through Instacart with or without a membership...

FFAW Calls for Meeting With DFO After Release of Northern Cod Harvesting Plan

Just days before the northern cod fishing season off the northeast of Newfoundland and Labrador, the FFAW-Unifor is calling for a meeting with the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Bernadette Jordan, claiming their input was ignored in the 2020 2J3KL harvesting plan for northern cod.

The start dates for Zone 2J, which will begin on August 2 and 3KL, to begin on August 9 were later than what was requested by harvesters. The FFAW argues this will take away time for quality and abundant fish...

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster Announces $29 Million Ocean Aware Project

On Tuesday Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced the launch of their $29 million Ocean Aware Project.

The Ocean Aware Project was created to aid in the development of commercialization of world-class solutions for monitoring fish health, fish movement, and the environment. The project represents the “first-of-its-kind collaboration across ocean sectors in fisheries, aquaculture, energy, shipping, and ocean technology where the project team will develop world leading aquaculture technology to monitor fish health; new approaches to stock assessment modeling and predictive fishing in the wild fishery...

FFAW Calls on DFO to Release 2020 Harvest Plan for Northern Cod

With the northern cod fishery expected to begin in less than two weeks, FFAW-Unifor is requesting that Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) release their 2020 harvest plan.

“While we expect delays due to the global pandemic, harvesters are unable to plan for a fishery that’s set to begin just days from now,” FFAW-Unifor President Keith Sullivan said in a news release. “Harvesters have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have experienced substantial losses this year. They need to know where...

Fraser River Sockeye Fishery to Stay Closed

Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced Tuesday that it does not expect to allow any commercial or recreational fishery for Fraser River sockeye this year due to concerns about the stocks.

The department said in a notice Tuesday that Fraser River sockeye forecasts are "highly uncertain" at this time.

Salmon watchers are concerned about the variability in annual survival rates for returning fish and uncertainty over how the salmon fared due to changing ocean conditions. The sockeye spend the majority of their lives in the Pacific before returning to spawn in their...

NL Fisheries Minister, Seafood Sector to Explore Cold Storage, Transportation Opportunities

Through a strategic partnership the government of Newfoundland and Labrador and its seafood industry to investigate the possibility of live holding, cold storage and transportation opportunities for fresh and live seafood products for both domestic and international markets.

Gerry Byrne, NL’s Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, announced $100,000 will be used to see if live hold and cold-storage logistics for seafood at Gander Airport and Port aux Basques is feasible.

This funding will also help support the province’s efforts to create jobs in the fisheries and...

Jordan Outlines Canada’s Blue Economy Plan, Funding for 8 Salmon Projects

Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan, outlined the government’s plan to grow the country’s Blue Economy at the Vancouver Board of Trade on Tuesday.

With the country beginning to open up during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan wanted to ensure that alongside economic growth, the country’s three oceans were protected. According to a release from the DFO, Canada’s ocean economy accounts for CAD $31.65 billion per year in GDP.

“We cannot have a strong ocean economy without healthy oceans,” Jordan said...

REPORT: Price Setting Panel to Provide Decision on ASP’s Shrimp Price Reconsideration Request Today

On Friday the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) submitted a request to the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel to reconsider the July 2 decision made on shrimp pricing. 

As SeafoodNews previously reported, ASP had initially proposed $0.70 per pound, a 57.6% reduction from the minimum price in summer 2019. The group’s position was that the “normal comparison of summer to summer market pricing is no longer adequate to establish pricing for 2020.” Instead, they felt that the Panel should establish pricing in line with 2014...

DFO Announces Recipients of $8.3 Million Fund for Ghost Gear Clean Up

According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), more than 8 million metric tons of plastic winds up in the ocean every year. In an effort to protect the oceans and marine life, the DFO is awarding $8.3 million to 26 recipients as part of a project to clean up the ocean of “ghost gear.”

The Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Program, also known as the Ghost Gear Fund, will fund 22 projects in Canada and four others internationally over the...

Newfoundland and Labrador Price Setting Panel Sides With FFAW on Cold Water Shrimp Price

The Newfoundland and Labrador Price Setting Panel has made a decision regarding the summer price for cold water shrimp.

As Urner Barry market reporter Michael Nesbitt previously reported, the FFAW and Association of Seafood Processors (ASP) had a 48 cents price difference regarding summer shrimp. ASP proposed 70 cents per pound compared to the FFAW’s proposal of $1.18 per pound. FFAW said that while they agree the market is trending downward, they also believe that ASP’s recent assessment of the market is not rational...

DFO: Gulf of St. Lawrence Lobster Season Extended to July 4

The lobster season in the Gulf of St. Lawrence will close on July 4, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced on Wednesday.

The new closing date is a four-day extension from the previously announced June 30 closing date. Lobster fishing areas (LFAs) 23, 24, 26A & 26B.

"For the most part, this is a positive development in a season that's been very challenging," said Ian MacPherson, the executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen's Association told the CBC.

The extension provides lobstermen...

Over 84% of Gulf of St. Lawrence Area 12 Snow Crab Quota Landed Week Before Fishery Set to Close

Area 12 Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab fishery is set to close in a week. According to the preliminary data, as of June 23, 84.85% of the total allowable quota has been landed. 

As previously reported, the snow crab season in Area 12 of the Gulf of St. Lawrence was delayed this year due to the coronavirus. While safety was an issue for many, others expressed their concerns about not getting out before the arrival of the right whales...

FFAW Calls on Federal Government to Follow Through on Commitments Made Over a Month Ago 

In mid-May Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government would be providing direct federal support to fish harvesters who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, FFAW says that it's been over a month and their members have yet to see any of the support that was promised to them.

As part of Trudeau's May announcement, he said that a $252 million wage subsidy program would provide coverage of 75% of losses up to $10,000 for...

Gulf of St. Lawrence Now Has Over 40 Season-long Grid Closures Due to North Atlantic Right Whales

There are now over 40 season-long grid closures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to the presence of North Atlantic right whales. Fisheries and Oceans Canada updated their closure map earlier this week to highlight the areas that are already closed until November 15, 2020, as well as grids that are in the gear removal phase before the season-long closure.

The season-long closures are new this year following...

A Crab World Rebuilding in a Pandemic

The unexpected decline in U.S. unemployment in May from 14.7% to 13.3% adding 2.5mm jobs is a beginning indication for recovery as the country begins to open back up.  Although we are a long way from having this pandemic behind us, the economic thought of a V shape recovery is now  thought of as being more of a possibility.

A majority of the jobs recovered were in the food service sector which premium seafood like crab needs to see open up. The figure of 70% of overall seafood sales being in...

NL Fisheries Minister Announces $400K Marketing Fund for Seafood Following Impacts of COVID-19

Gerry Byrne, the Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources for Newfoundland and Labrador, announced a CAD $400,000 seafood marketing and innovation fund.

The fund will help market seafood products for retail and other established markets following the impact COVID-19 had on seafood sales to foodservice and restaurants.

“Our seafood industry has felt the impact of COVID-19 and we’re here to help our processors and aquaculture operators identify new markets, adapt existing products, and develop new products to meet changing customer needs leading to a rebound in seafood sales,” Byrne said...

Association of Seafood Producers: NL Shrimp Fishery Opening Despite Price Challenges

The Newfoundland and Labrador shrimp fishery “appears to be on the cusp of starting up,” according to Derek Butler, Executive Director of the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP). ASP released a statement on Thursday explaining that, despite the price challenges, shrimp producers are “committed to their workers and harvesters who rely on the shrimp fishery for their livelihoods.”

As SeafoodNews reported last week, FFAW-Unifor was accusing processors in Newfoundland and Labrador of refusing to purchase shrimp and “illegally locking out inshore shrimp harvesters...

U.S. Receives Transfer of Yellowtail From Canada’s Quota Allocations; FFAW Upset With Decision

The United States has received a transfer of 1,000 mt of NAFO Division 3LNO yellowtail flounder from Canada’s 2020-2024 quota allocation — a move that has upset members of FFAW-Unifor.

Yellowtail flounder stock is managed by the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), which the U.S. joined in 1995. Back in 2008  the U.S. signed a 10-year deal with Canada to allow American fishermen to harvest 1,000 mt of yellowtail each year. This month the U.S. entered into another agreement with Canada to...

Quin-Sea Fisheries Launches Newfoundland Lobsters Brand, Shipping Live Lobsters Across Canada

Royal Greenland subsidiary Quin-Sea Fisheries launched its “Newfoundland Lobsters” website, a brand dedicated to the sale of live lobsters across Canada.

Over the past two years, Quin-Sea has invested in the sale and marketing of Newfoundland-caught lobsters across Canada and the globe. Prior to this endeavor, Quin-Sea noted its work to transform an aging crab plant in New Harbour, NL into a modern live-lobster holding facility.

The transformation has allowed for the shipping of lobsters across the world during times when lobster typically...

FFAW, ASP Continue to Butt Heads Over Shrimp After Price Setting Panel Decision

FFAW-Unifor and the Association of Seafood Producers are once again going head-to-head —this time about the price of shrimp.

As SeafoodNews reported earlier this month, FFAW initially went to the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel with a proposal of $1.18 per pound, a 28.5% reduction from the minimum price in 2019. ASP submitted an offer of $0.70 per pound, a 57.6% reduction from the minimum price in 2019. The Price Setting Panel sided with FFAW, which ultimately led ASP to...

Nova Scotia Approves Net-pen Leases on South Shore Amid Public Backlash

Following concerns from residents and organizations surrounding lease renewals of open net-pen aquaculture in Liverpool and Port Mouton, Nova Scotia, the province’s Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA) approved renewals.

In recent weeks, the Healthy Bays Network (HBN), an alliance of community stewardship groups and environmental organizations across Nova Scotia put together a number of public letters/comments which were not in the statement from the DFA regarding the renewals for the Port Mouton Bay and Liverpool Bay fish farms...

Price Setting Panel Announces Decision on Shrimp Price Reconsideration Request

The Standing Fish Price Setting Panel has released their decision regarding the shrimp price reconsideration request that was filed by the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) last week. The Panel announced that they have selected FFAW’s price of $1.08 over ASP’s offer of $0.85.

As SeafoodNews reported earlier this month, both FFAW and ASP submitted proposals well below the minimum price in 2019. FFAW’s proposal was for $1.18 per pound, a 28.5% reduction from the minimum price in 2019, while ASP’s proposal was for $0.70 per...

Mowi B.C. Salmon Farms Receive ASC Certification As Norway Mefaldskjaeret Farm’s Certificate Pulled

JAPAN: Fresh Salmon Imports by Air Continued Decreasing in May 

According to the Ministry of Finance's customs statistics, salmon and trout imported by air freight in May fell 20% year-on-year, as it did in April, due to the spread of the new coronavirus. Among them, the mainstay Norwegian Atlantic salmon has continued to decline by more than 30%. The unit price was generally sluggish, analyzed Suisan Keizai.

In May, import by air transport was 2,476 tons, 3,172.97 million yen ($29.5 million), which was a significant decrease in volume of 20.4% and value of 19.8% compared to...

ANALYSIS: Pricing For Snow Crab Above Year-to-Date Levels 

The snow crab market has seen large swings upwards the past two weeks and has been trending higher since the beginning of the season.  

All sizes of snow crab out of both the Gulf and Newfoundland have moved higher and pricing levels for all sizes are above year-to-date levels from the previous year.  

5-8s are still below YTD levels seen in 2018, but with the increases seen in the market yesterday, 2020 quotations for 5-8s are now trending...

NL Government Provides Funding to Shrimp Processing Company

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation Bernard Davis announced Martak Canada will receive CAD $126,475 to help support its new shrimp peeling technology.

The funding provided through the Innovation and Business Investment Corporation will help improve the company’s shrimp peeler machine by boosting efficiency and ability to produce higher yield products.

“This project is an instrumental first step to bringing automation and machine learning to the shrimp processing industry,” Matthew French of Martak Canada said. “We’re proud to bring these innovations to the market, not only in Atlantic Canada..."

North Atlantic Right Whale Sightings Have Now Closed Over 60 Grids in Gulf of St. Lawrence

Over 60 grids in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are now closed for the season due to North Atlantic right whale sightings.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) introduced season-long grid closures this year as part of their efforts to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale from entanglement or ship strikes. Season-long grid closures are implemented following “repeat detections on separate days within a 15 day period,” and are in place until November 15, 2020...

New Oil Regulation Means Step Backwards For Fishermen, FFAW President Says

The change to allow environmental assessments for exploratory drilling offshore to be done quicker will impact Newfoundland and Labrador's fishing industry, according to the president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union.

Earlier this week, Federal Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan announced Newfoundland and Labrador will be exempt from federal environmental impact assessments in favour of a regional assessment, which will cut the approval process from up to 905 days to as little as 90 days.

The move was made to help the province's oil and gas industry...