Seasonal Snow Crab Grid Closures Announced in Gulf of St. Lawrence Following NARW Entanglement

A search is underway for an entangled North Atlantic right whale that was spotted on May 19 near Gaspé, Quebec.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced last week that they are trying to locate the whale, who has been identified as Sundog, a 14-year-old female that was last seen near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in March. According to the agency, marine mammal response partners are on stand-by to attempt to disentangle the whale if weather and sea conditions permit...

FFAW Pushes Back On St. Mary’s Crab Plant Opposers With Their Own Facts

FFAW-Unifor wants to present their facts when it comes to the proposed crab plant in St. Mary’s.

As SeafoodNews previously reported, plant workers have voiced their opposition to the proposed new fish processing capacity, which would create 200 new jobs. Derek Butler, the Executive Director of the Association of Seafood Producers, released a statement this week saying that “if new processing capacity is approved, stability of the industry will come into question.”

“New capacity would mean fewer hours for existing workers...

Snow Crab Landings Update For the Gulf and NL as of May 17

The snow crab season in Canada is underway. And despite some temporary grid closures due to North Atlantic right whales, crabbers are making good progress with landings.

According to preliminary data for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, as of May 17, 63.48% of the quota has been landed. The initial quota in the Gulf was 28,065.183 metric tons, with a revised quota of 27,690.338 metric tons. A total of 17,718.251 metric tons has been landed so far, with 10,193.696 metric tons remaining...

These Are The Top 10 Seafood Items Consumed In The U.S. For 2020

Seafood consumption figures are in for 2020, revealing how the pandemic helped - and hurt - the industry.

When the coronavirus began spreading in the U.S. in early 2020, the government took extreme lockdown measures, shutting down all non-essential businesses. While restaurants were allowed to remain open, their dining rooms were closed. This was a major blow to the seafood industry, where fish and shellfish thrived at dine-in. However, retail seafood purchases did increase with many people using the lockdown to learn how to...

Snow Crab Grid Closure Updates For the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Additional grid closures impacting the snow crab fishery were announced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on Friday and Saturday.

As SeafoodNews reported earlier this month, the first temporary grid closures were made by the DFO on May 4. But as North Atlantic right whales move along the waters, more closure announcements are being made. 

On Friday, May 12, the DFO closed the following three grids in the Gulf of St. Lawrence- Annex 1: GZ40, GZ41, GZ42. All gear had to be removed by...

Oregon to Begin Spring Derelict Crab Pot Recovery Efforts Aiming to Prevent Entanglements

Vessels in Oregon will begin retrieving derelict commercial crab pots to reduce the potential for entanglements. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the recovery program is a pilot project set up by the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission (ODCC).

During the crabbing season, fishers try their best to track their valuable pots throughout the season, some gets moved and lost due to a variety of reasons including heavy storms, natural drifting debris, or vessel traffic and is then considered derelict gear...

The Winding Glass: Is the Crab Market a Bellwether or a Blip?

In the U.S., snow crab outperformed every other seafood product during the pandemic. Yet today, the snow crab market is crashing at the fastest pace since the spring of 1995. That year, between May 1995 and May 1996, the price fell 46%.

This year, Urner Barry quotations from last summer until this May are down 33%, and the bottom has not been set. This is already the largest percentage decline in price since 1995. Since February the market has been going down around 50 cents per week...

Additional Temporary Snow Crab Grid Closures Announced May 10

North Atlantic right whales are in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. And with less than 350 of the endangered whales in existence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is taking action to help protect them. 

When North Atlantic right whales are sighted or acoustically detected this time of year, the DFO temporarily closes grids for fishing. The first grid closures were announced on May 4, with the DFO temporarily closing six full grids and a portion of three in Annex of the Gulf of...

More Than 50% Of Snow Crab Quota Caught In The Gulf

According to the latest preliminary data on snow crab landings, a little more than 50% of the quota in the Gulf has been caught.

The initial quota in the Gulf was 28,065.183 metric tons, with a revised quota of 27,690.338 metric tons. A total of 14,629.578 metric tons have been landed so far, with the DFO reporting that 13,201.007 metric tons remain. This means that 52.57% of the quota in the Gulf has already been caught for the season.

Meanwhile in the Newfoundland and Labrador region...

Harvesters, Processors At Odds Over Trip Limits, Scheduling in Snow Crab Fishery

Snow crab harvesters and processors are once again at odds – this time over trip limits and scheduling in the fishery.

Earlier this week FFAW-Unifor issued an opinion regarding trip limits that have been imposed by processing companies. According to FFAW, the trip limits are impacting harvesters with modest snow crab quotas, who are now “being required to go out on trip after trip to land crab in an uneconomical manner.” The group also states that the trip limits are “unsafe,” in that they...

U.S. Imports of Russian King and Snow Crab Plunge After Ban Announcement

Consumer spending, inflation, rising interest rates, and the U.S. ban on Russian Seafood is changing the shape of the king and snow crab markets. For instance, the Commerce Department reported consumer spending on services such as air travel, hotels, and special occasions has increased now that the pandemic restrictions have eased. This redirected spending away from goods such as food, cars, etc.as well as essential goods like gasoline.

Most of the current U.S inflation is concentrated on goods and it is clear that consumers are worried and...

Gulf, NL Snow Crab Landings Update As Of May 1

The preliminary data on snow crab landings continues to come in. According to the latest figures, 40.62% out of the Gulf has been landed to date, while 29.0% has been landed in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Looking first at the Gulf, the initial quota was 28,065.183 metric tons, with a revised quota of 27,690.338 metric tons. A total of 11,248.676 metric tons have been landed so far, with the DFO reporting that 16,441.662 metric tons remain. 

Out of the Newfoundland and Labrador region...

Update on April Gulf, NL Snow Crab Landings 

Canada’s snow crab fishery opened up earlier this month and preliminary data on landings are coming in. Let’s take a look at where the landings stand as of April 24, 2022.

In the Newfoundland and Labrador region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) only has preliminary data for the 3Ps. For CFA 10 North of 46’30”N (10A), 42% of the 771 tonnes quota has been landed. For CFA 10 North of 46’30”N Outside 12 miles (10A), 45% of the 2454 tonnes quota has been landed...

DFO Announces Opening of Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Snow Crab Fishery in Areas 12 and 12E

On Monday Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced the opening date of the snow crab fishery in crab fishing Areas 12 (12, 18, 25 and 26) and 12E. Crab fishing can begin in those specific areas beginning at 5 AM Atlantic Daylight Time on Wednesday, April 13.

According to the announcement, the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, including the Bay of Chaleurs, is ice free and “fishing can occur in a safe manner.” The DFO also noted that while...

Canada Snow Crab Update: Over 70% Quota Landed in 3Ps 11E Area

The snow crab season in Canada is underway … and some areas are already close to wrapping up. 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced on Monday that over 70% of the quota in 3Ps Snow Crab Fishing Area 11 East has been landed to date. The season opened on April 4. 

This year the 3Ps area received a TAC of 7,768 tonnes. However, looking specifically at the 11E area, the inshore quota was set at 190 tonnes, which was reduced by 24.5 tonnes per the quota...

New Report Outlines Trawl Impacts on Red King Crab at Bristol Bay

The 2021 Bristol Bay crab fishery was canceled for the first time in 25 years.

In October and December 2021, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) tasked staff to prepare a discussion paper that provides the best available information on four topics related to Bristol Bay red king crab (BBRKC).

The topics include:

1. Provide the best available information on Bristol Bay red king crab molting/mating annual cycle and how the seasonality of this overlaps with fisheries and the effects these...

More Snow Crab Grid Closures Announced in Gulf of St. Lawrence This Week

Right whale sightings and acoustic detections have temporarily closed additional grids in the Gulf of St. Lawrence this week.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced on Monday that two full grids and a portion of two other grids would be closing on May 19, 2022 at 5 p.m. Full grids HE39 and HE40, as well as a portion of HF39 and HF40 are the latest to be impacted as part of the DFO’s 2022 North Atlantic right whale management measures. Those closures...

Russian Fish Sector to Face Shortage of Trawlers for its Needs in Years to Come  

Russian fishermen will face a shortage of trawlers for their needs as unprecedented sanctions imposed on the country significantly complicate the construction of the majority of ships for local fish producers both in the local and foreign shipyards.  

As the current situation in the Russian economics and its fish sector continues to deteriorate, the country’s government has extended the construction period for fish trawlers for two years, as part of the existing investment quota program. 

According to recent statements made by...

Spring/Summer Crabbing Rules Go Into Effect in Washington, Oregon as Whales Arrive

Whales are migrating along the West Coast, which means Dungeness crabbers have to adjust their fishing behavior to avoid whale entanglements at a time when ex-vessel prices are favorable to fishermen.

In Oregon, the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission has contracted with six vessels coastwide to recover derelict pots outside 40 fathoms in an effort to help decrease the risk of entanglements. The spring in-season derelict crab pot recovery is a pilot project set up by the Crab Commission in partnership with ...

ASP Requests Reconsideration On Minimum Snow Crab Price; Price Setting Panel Announces Decision

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16 to reflect the Stnading Fish Price Setting Panel's decision.

Last week the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) submitted a price reconsideration request to the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel for snow crab. 

As SeafoodNews reported in early April, the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel selected ASP’s position of $7.60 per pound, which was a rollover of the price last year. At that time FFAW had put...

Association of Seafood Producers Says Proposed St. Mary’s Crab Plant Won’t Support Industry

A trade group representing seafood producers in Newfoundland and Labrador said a proposed crab plant in St. Mary’s “would result in fewer hours of work for those in existing facilities, and is the wrong way to build stability in the industry.”

“What a new license means, in short, as the proponents of the application have said, is 200 new jobs in St. Mary’s. Well, that’s 200 jobs out of other communities in the province,” said Derek Butler, Executive Director, The Association of Seafood Producers (ASP)...

AK 2022 Salmon Season Is Just Days Away; Lots Of Fishing Action Across The State

Alaska’s 2022 salmon fishery officially begins in just a few days and lots of other fishing action continues or gears up from Southeast to the Bering Sea.

The first 12-hour opener on Monday, May 16, at the Copper River near Cordova kicks off Alaska’s salmon season. The total harvest forecast for the famous fishery calls for 716,000 reds and 7,000 kings.

The total statewide, all-species salmon harvest for 2022 is projected at 160.6 million fish, down 32% from the 2021...

National Fisheries Institute’s Crab Council Releases Statement On The Passing Of Dr. Hawis Madduppa

The following statement was released by Ed Rhodes, the Executive Director of the National Fisheries Institute's Crab Council:

The Blue Swimming Crab sustainability community has lost a dedicated researcher, a visionary leader and friend in Dr. Hawis Madduppa.

Dr. Hawis Madduppa served as the executive director of the Indonesian Blue Swimming Crab Association (APRI) and led the Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) work there for nearly a decade.  As head of marine biodiversity and biosystematics labs at Bogor Agricultural University...

New Temporary Snow Crab Grid Closures Announced May 9

The first snow crab grid closures for the year were announced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on May 4. Temporary grid closures were put in effect for 6 full grids and a portion of three. Now, an additional 12 full grids have been added to that list.

The DFO made the new closure announcement on Monday, May 9 after North Atlantic right whales were sighted in Annex 1 for the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Beginning Wednesday, May 11 at 5 p.m., the following full grids will be closed...

DFO Announces First Snow Crab Grid Closures For The Season After NARW Sighting

The first grid closure of the year has been announced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The agency released a notice on Wednesday that the presence of a North Atlantic right whale (NARW) has resulted in them closing a number of grids in the Gulf of St. Lawrence - Annex 1. According to the DFO, full grid closures are in effect for GW51, GW52, GW53, GX51, GX52, and GX53. Meanwhile, a portion of grids GY51, GY52, and GY53 are closed. The closures, which impact the...

ANALYSIS: Snow Crab Market Seeing Lackluster Demand

The snow crab market in the U.S. continues to be highly unsettled this week. Pricing has been barely steady to weak since the end of January and pricing for 2022 is now below 2021 levels for 5-8s out of both the Gulf and Newfoundland. 2022 remains above the 3-year average but is much closer than previous weeks. This market activity is happening amid a lackluster demand for snow crab.

Market participants report that the market currently is weak and lower offers continue to be collected...

Florida’s Stone Crab Season Ending May 2

The end is near for Florida’s stone crab season. Florida Fish and Wildlife announced on Tuesday that the recreational and commercial stone crab season in state and federal waters will end on May 2, with the last day of harvest being May 1.

All stone crab traps must be removed from the water within five days of the May 2 closure date. No claws are allowed to be harvested from traps that are pulled after the season closes. However, commercially harvested stone crab claws are allowed to be...

DFO Delays April 24 Snow Crab Opening In Crab Fishing Area 3C

On Wednesday Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)  announced that they would be delaying the opening of snow crab fishing area 3C. 

“Harvesters should continue to monitor Notice to Fishers for further information regarding the opening date,” the notice from the DFO reads. “The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2022-029 has been revoked and Variation Order 2022-034 comes into effect on April 21, 2022.”

The Notice to Fishers can be found...

What Seafood Items Are Part of the EU’s Fifth Round of Sanctions Against Russia?

Last week SeafoodNews reported that the European Commission proposed additional sanctions against Russia. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, said that they would be increasing pressure on Russia in an attempt to “cut even deeper into the Russian economy.”

The fifth package, which was officially adopted at the end of last week, includes a ban on certain seafood imports from Russia. Now, we know exactly what seafood items are part of that ban.

The Official Journal of the European Union...

Russian Crab Suppliers Attach More Importance to China and South Korea

The war between Russia and Ukraine has triggered a massive ripple effect on global trade, and one case in point is that of seafood. Europe has imposed sanctions on Russian seafood, while America has announced limitations on such imports. One of the species hit by the chaos is Russian crabs. And sellers along with buyers have also suffered from these decisions.

Russia’s export value of frozen king crabs and snow crabs has reached US$1.49 billion last year, according to statistics from the International Trade Center...