Crab catch price creeps up and plants ramp up as delayed N.L. harvest enters third week

The protests and the rhetoric have somewhat subsided, and the catch price has improved slightly, as Newfoundland and Labrador's long delayed and controversy-riddled snow crab harvest enters a third week.

"It's been a very smooth start largely due to the state of readiness that producers have been in now for eight weeks," Jeff Loder, executive director of the Association of Seafood Producers, saidFriday.

Twenty of the province's 22 crab processing plants plants are in operation, said Loder, and thousands of people are back on the job both on the water and on land as the massive quota of roughly 54,000 metric tonnes is gradually harvested from the ocean floor.

"We have processed over 13 million pounds (roughly 5,900 tonnes), which I'm happy to report to the provinceis 11 per centof the quota," said Loder.

Market conditions have also improved, triggering an increase in the minimum catch price from $2.20 per pound to $2.25, with the higher price to take effect Sunday.

"We're hopeful that prices will continue to rise and the value created by the snow crab fishery in this province will be shared according to the agreements that we have in place," said Loder.

But there's rarely smooth sailing in the fishing industry, with tensions continuing to simmer between the ASP and the Fish, Food &Allied Workersunion, whichrepresents harvesters and plant workers.

Some outstanding issues includetrip limits for fishing vessels to ensure an orderly harvest and maintain the highest quality, changes in the long-standing policy that allowed a 20 per cent tolerance for smaller crab beforethe catch price was reduced, and allegations that the under-40 fleet was getting the cold shoulder from some companies.

FFAW-Unifor president Greg Pretty was not available for comment on Friday, but Loder said discussions about trip limits are ongoing.

He said trip limits included in the licences for many harvesters are being strictly enforced by federal fisheries officers.

"There have been some enforcement actions taken," he said.

Loder said a broader harvesting schedule based on the production capacity at various plants is also the subject of talks between both sides.

"To date we are doing our best to manage everything. And I'm optimistic as the season unfolds,everybody will be able to harvest snow crab."

Some harvesters have reported waiting anywhere from three to six days to return to the fishing grounds after landing their catch,raising questions about whether the entire quota can be caught this year. But Loder said that's the goal.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the FFAWsaid the focus is on ensuring everyone has a fair chance to take part in the harvest, with talks planned into the weekend.

The union is pushing back against a decision by producers to reducethe tolerance level for crab with shells smaller than four inches. For years, harvesters were paid the minimum price for their catch, even if the percentage ofcrab under four inches, but still of legal size,was up to 20 per cent.

But this year, producers requested to have that practice discontinued, and it was accepted by the price-setting panel.

So this year, a 30-cent penalty will be applied to all crab under four inches, said Loder.

For example, if a vessel lands next week with 10,000 pounds of crab, and 2,000 pounds of that catch is under four inches, the seller will be paid $1.95 per pound for the smaller crab.

However, most crews return smaller crab to the ocean as they are measured after being retrieved from the pot, said Loder.

"It's about quality and extracting as much value as we can," said Loder. "Leaving those [smaller]crab in the water for another year is not hurting anyone, and is increasing value for the following year."

Loder said he is not fazed by the union's threat to file a grievance: "We will win."

• Snow crab harvesters face final offer in search of better prices

Meanwhile, there havebeen complaints that at least one company, Royal Greenland, which operates a plant in Old Perlican, has refused to buy crab from boats in the under-40 fleet. Loderdenied those claims.

"Nothing could be further from the truth and that type of language should not be part of this conversation," he said.

"It was no secret to anyone in this province that not every harvester would get to go fishing the first day. There has been absolutely no discrimination or anything of that nature."

It's been described as the largest crab harvest in the world, but this year's fishery was also the focus of unmatched upheaval and tension as key players tangled over how to share revenue from the industry at a time when markets were collapsing.

The fishery was due to start in early April, but harvesters refused to untie their boats after the arbitrated price was established at $2.20 per pound by the government-appointed price-setting panel. It was a significant drop following several years of record landed value, with an average wharf price of more than $6 per pound in 2022, with harvesters paid nearly $900 million for their catch.

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