Snow Crab Landings Update For NL, Gulf and Maritimes Region As Of May 26

With the June 30 closure about a month away, Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab harvesters are continuing to chip away at their quota after being stuck on land for six weeks. 

Last Friday the tie-up came to an end with an agreement reached between FFAW and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP). Both parties agreed on a minimum price of $2.20 per pound for the season, with incremental increases as Urner Barry’s market price increases...

ANALYSIS: Snow Crab at Retail Heats Up

The Canadian snow crab market in the U.S. has seen 2023 product out of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. And as of this writing with data from May 24, just under 85 percent of the quota has been caught. Pricing has been very steady for the past five weeks since the open of the Gulf on 5-8s. Gulf 8 and 10-ups have seen upward pricing pressure and quotations adjusted higher May 23.

Out of Newfoundland, the stalemate has ended, and fishing has begun...

Japan: Seafood Imports from Russia Swelled to JPY 155 billion in 2022, Highest Since 1992

According to Japan's Ministry of Finance's trade statistics, the value of seafood imports from Russia in 2022 increased by 12.95% from the previous year to 155.2 billion yen ($1.11 billion), the highest since 1992, the year after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Suisan Keizai Shimbun reported that snow crab was the most popular item, followed by Pollock roe and sockeye salmon.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Japan has imposed an embargo on specific electronic components and semiconductors as part of its sanctions...

Fight Between FFAW and ASP Gets Ugly As Accusations Fly

Snow crab negotiation talks in Newfoundland and Labrador hit another roadblock Wednesday as the Fish, Food & Allied Workers (FFAW) and Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) hurled accusations of corruption and intimidation.

FFAW released an update on Tuesday saying that they were involved in negotiations with ASP and that Premier Andrew Furey was working with them to try to find a solution. FFAW’s Snow Crab Bargaining Committee submitted a final offer to ASP of $2.30, with incremental adjustments as the Urner Barry price increases, however that offer was not...

NL Snow Crab May Have Pricing Formula in 2024 

Negotiations are still ongoing in an effort to get Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab harvesters in the water. The season opened over a month ago, but the price selected by the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel has resulted in protests as fishermen say that they are not willing to fish for $2.20.

The latest update from the Fish, Food & Allied Workers (FFAW) reveals that Premier Andrew Furey is intervening in talks between FFAW and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP)...

Federal Court Enjoins Alabama Seafood Processor for Distribution of Adulterated Crabmeat Products

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that a federal court had enjoined an Irvington, Alabama company and several of its operators from distributing adulterated seafood products in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

The DOJ noted a civil complaint that was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama on April 25, which the U.S. alleges that Irvington Seafood and its owner, Kevin S. Sakprasit and company officers Helene Nou and Kammie C. Richardson violated the FDCA by distributing adulterated...

PODCAST: Snow Crab Market Update With Urner Barry's Janice Schreiber

This week SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione are joined by Janice Schreiber, Urner Barry's Seafood Director and Editor of the Seafood Price Current. Janice jumps on the podcast to talk about what's going on in the snow crab market.

The SeafoodNews weekly podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry's Data on Demand! Transform your data challenges into valuable business opportunities with real-time commodity market information, seamlessly integrated directly into your company's systems. Urner Barry's data licensing solutions, including our API and Excel Add-in...

Snow Crab Update: FFAW Says ASP Presented New Proposal, ASP Says That’s Not True

On Wednesday the Fish, Food & Allied Workers (FFAW) put out a press release stating that the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) had presented harvesters with a new proposal and that snow crab license holders had until Thursday, May 11 to either accept or reject it. But ASP says that’s not exactly true.

FFAW and ASP initially failed to come to an agreement on pricing in late March, despite promises from new leadership that they would work together to solve issues that the industry was facing...

DFO Announces First Snow Crab Grid Closures Following Right Whale Sighting

On Monday the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced their first grid closures since the snow crab season started last month. The grid closures are related to the presence of a North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW).

The grid closure impacts those that harvest in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. So far there are seven full grids that are closed (GW53, GW54, GW55, GX53, GX54, GX55, GY55) and a portion of two grids (GY53, GY54). The DFO said they are providing a...

Snow Crab Update: ASP Offers $2.20 Minimum For 2023 Season, FFAW Rejects

Talks finally opened back up between FFAW-Unifor and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) regarding the 2023 snow crab season. But despite efforts to come to a resolution, harvesters are still not in the water yet.

The latest update on the snow crab front is that ASP presented a new offer to FFAW. ASP proposed that they would keep the minimum of $2.20 for the entirety of the 2023 season – with the ability for higher reconsiderations if markets improve. FFAW said though that...

U.S. Imports of Snow Crab From Canada, Norway, and Greenland Soar in March

A high percentage of consumers are expressing concern about the state of the economy. Their concerns are effecting purchasing decisions and leading to lower demand for premium seafood products such as snow and king crab to the benefit of cheaper proteins.

Prices for king crab and snow crab were at unsustainable levels in 2022 resulting in supply exceeding demand. In the case of snow crab this is changing as the 2023 lower prices had a positive effect on sales and demand. U.S. imports are up...

Congressman Harris Visits Crab Picking House to Highlight Need For More H-2B Visas

Every year it’s the same issue - not enough H-2B visas are available to help the seafood industry. On Wednesday Maryland Congressman Andy Harris visited the A.E. Phillips & Son picking house on Hoopers Island to “highlight the struggles Maryland picking houses are having with the current H-2B nonimmigrant visa lottery system.”

Ahead of his visit, Congressman Harris explained that small businesses in the crab picking industry “that supply crab meat to local restaurants, have faced massive employee shortages as a result of Federal government...

Snow Crab Landings Update For NL, Gulf And Maritimes Region As Of May 2

Over 50% of the Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab quota is caught as of May 2 … and harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador still have yet to set out.

As SeafoodNews previously reported, Area 12 has a revisited total quota of 31,352.521 MT. When looking at the Area 12 Traditional Fleet, First Nations and New Access areas combined, they have landed 16,751.423 MT, which amounts to 53.43%. The total remaining for the 2023 season for Area 12 is 14,601.098 MT. These figures...

Snow Crabbers Continue to Hold Out, say $2.20 Price is ‘Unviable’

Almost 50 fish harvesters that represent their fleets on the Inshore Council and Crab Committees met on April 28 as fishermen continue to hold out from starting the snow crab season in Newfoundland and Labrador.

FFAW said that over the last week, it has contacted one thousand snow crab license holders and the “consensus from respondents is that the price of 2.20 is unviable for their enterprise.”

“Fish harvesters are not willing to fish at such a low share of the market, no more today...

Seafood Expo Global: Snow Crab Shines in Collaboration Between East Coast Seafood and Whitecap

It seems like all anyone can talk about right now is snow crab with the season in Canada just starting - and stalling. But snow crab grabbed  attention at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona for a different reason. A Snow Crab Roll Kit, the brainchild of a collaboration between East Coast Seafood and Whitecap Seafoods, made its way into the finalists for the Seafood Excellence Global Awards. The two companies partnered up to debut a handful of unique products – one of them being the...

ASP Stands By Fish Price Setting Panel’s Snow Crab Decision Despite Calls to Reignite Discussions

Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Derrick Bragg sent a letter to the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) and Fish, Food & Allied Workers (FFAW) on Friday urging them to “come together to find a mutually acceptable resolution” regarding snow crab pricing. FFAW has been pushing for a return to the bargaining table, but ASP is standing by the decision that was made by the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel.

While the snow crab fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador is open, harvesters have yet to...

Snow Crab Landings Update For NL, Gulf and Maritimes Region As Of May 24

The snow crab quota report for Newfoundland and Labrador has finally been updated. After weeks at a standstill over pricing, harvesters in the region finally hit the water and those landings numbers are beginning to roll in.

Newfoundland and Labrador has a quota of 54,279 MT.  Fisheries and Oceans Canada is reporting that 411 MT has been landed as of May 22. That figure represents just 1% of the total allowable catch (TAC). 

Meanwhile, despite facing some North Atlantic right whale-related grid closures, harvesters...

VIDEO: NL Snow Crab Update; Keith Decker Resigns; Clearwater West

SeafoodNews Managing Editor Amanda Buckle is breaking down three of the top read stories of the week, including the latest happenings for the snow crab season in Newfoundland and Labrador. Plus learn more about Keith Decker's resignation from American Aquafarms and Premium Brands Holdings plans for new acquisitions.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Weekly Video, brought to you by "Watch Us Eat." "Watch Us Eat" is a fun and educational YouTube series. The brand aims to increase seafood consumption and promote a healthy, sustainable lifestyle by providing engaging content...

DFO Announces New Temporary Grid Closures For Gulf of St. Lawrence

Seven full grids and a portion of two grids in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are set to close today, Wednesday, May 17 at 5 p.m. The grid closures are due to the visual detection of two North Atlantic right whales, including one calf.

The full grids in question are GX36, GX37, GY36, GY37, GZ36 and GZ37. A portion of grids GX355 and GY35 are also closed. The grid closures were initially announced on May 15, and gear removal was delayed due to the weather forecast...

Snow Crab Landings Update For NL, Gulf and Maritimes Region As Of May 16

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is still reporting that the snow crab quota out of Newfoundland and Labrador is untouched. But that may soon change. The Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Snow Crab Bargaining Committee met in St. John’s on Monday to re-engage with the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) in negotiations. 

Details on the meeting have yet to be released, but even if talks fell apart, some fishermen are saying that it’s time to hit the water...

Snow Crab Update: FFAW Members Protest Over The Weekend; Stand Firm They Will Not Fish For $2.20

The Fish, Food & Allied Workers (FFAW) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) failed to come to an agreement on a new proposal to get snow crab harvesters in the water. As a result, FFAW members protested outside of two locations in St. John’s over the weekend. 

FFAW and ASP shared different stories last week regarding ongoing talks to get the snow crab season going. FFAW claimed that ASP had presented them with a new proposal...

Snow Crab landings Update For NL, Gulf and Maritimes Region As Of May 12

There was hope this week that Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab harvesters would soon begin to make a dent in their 54,279 MT total allowable catch. But talks between the Fish, Food and Allied Worker (FFAW) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) fell apart yet again.

FFAW initially said that ASP had presented a new proposal of a minimum price of $2.20/lb for the rest of the season, with the opportunity for more should the Urner Barry 5-8oz sections go up...

Handy Seafood Welcomes 2023 Maryland Soft Shell Crab Season

Handy Seafood announced the start of the 2023 domestic soft shell crab season in Crisfield, Maryland, on May 9.

The season begins in early May and runs through late September. Handy said it has played a key role in the Crisfield community for over a century and is proud to support watermen who have harvested soft shell crabs for generations. Handy said it works with the local industry to ensure harvesting the species is done responsibly and sustainably.

“Soft crabs are a true delicacy...

Snow Crab Landings Update for NL, Gulf and Maritimes Region As Of May 9

Despite efforts to kick off the snow crab season in Newfoundland and Labrador, harvesters remain on shore. But the same can’t be said for other areas in Canada.

Area 12 has a revisited total quota of 31,352.521 MT.  When looking at the Area 12 Traditional Fleet, First Nations and New Access areas combined, as of May 9 they caught a total of 20,390.426 MT, which represents 65.04% total landed. Area 12 has a combined 10,962.095 MT remaining for the season...

Snow Crab Landings Update For NL, Gulf And Maritimes Region As Of May 5

The snow crab fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is continuing to progress with nearly 60% of the quota landed in Area 12 as of May 5. And, just like our previous landings updates, Newfoundland and Labrador continues at a standstill. 

Area 12 has a revisited total quota of 31,352.521 MT.  When looking at the Area 12 Traditional Fleet, First Nations and New Access areas combined, they caught a total of 18,509.447 MT, which represents 59.04% total landed. Area 12 has a combined...

SEA-NL Demands Province Order ‘Serious’, Sweeping Review of Fish-Price Setting System 

Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) demands the provincial government order a “serious” and sweeping investigation into the broken fish price-setting system after last year’s token review failed to fix it.

“This province’s three largest commercial fisheries — snow crab, northern shrimp, and lobster — are all in chaos this season, and two of them for the second year in a row,” says Ryan Cleary, SEA-NL’s Executive Director. 

“It’s obvious that last year’s lightning fast, three-month...

ASP Says Snow Crab Harvesters Are Being Intimidated Not to Fish; FFAW Says They’re Being Pressured

Any hopes of an amicable snow crab season in Newfoundland and Labrador has been thrown out the window. While there was some optimism that FFAW-Unifor and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) could work together following the appointments of new leadership, both groups have failed to get on the same page. And as a result, the crab fishery in NL still has yet to begin.

On Tuesday ASP held a press conference to address the ongoing delay and urge harvesters to...

Florida’s Stone Crab Season Closing May 2

The recreational and commercial stone crab season in Florida is set to close on Tuesday, May 2. 

Florida’s Fish and Wildlife sent out an alert over the weekend to warn that the last day of harvest will be Monday, May 1. According to the agency, “commercially harvested stone crab claws may be possessed and sold during the closed season but only if they have been placed in inventory prior to May 2 by a licensed wholesale or retail dealer.”

The season closes annually at this time of year...

NFI Red Crab Council Continues Fishery Improvement Work in China

The NFI Red Crab Council and its sustainability partners, Ocean Outcomes (O2), are proud to announce they’re entering year 5 of the comprehensive Red Crab Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) in China. Given the continued progress of the FIP and its ongoing efforts to improve the sustainability of 40,000 mt of crab caught by trawls and pots in the Minnan-Taiwan Bank, the FIP was recently awarded an ‘A’ rating on FisheryProgress.org for producing tangible outcomes on-the-water. 

“I have called this effort The Little FIP That Could for many...

Over 30% of Snow Crab Quota Caught in Gulf as of April 24

Quebec snow crabbers in Zone 16 finally hit the water in recent days, and the price battle over Newfoundland continues as the Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab quota landings has exceeded 30%, per data released by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

The total landings through April 24 for Area 12 reached just over 9,897 metric tons, roughly 31.57% of the quota. The DFO table indicates that 21,455 MT remains for the fishery...