Some regions see large cuts to snow crab quotas, while total catch rises
3K, 3PS see losses, while 3LNO has an increase of 25 per cent over 2024.
Some areas of Newfoundland and Labrador's snow crab fishery have seen major reductions, despite the total allowable catch as a whole going up 9 per cent.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans released their annual quota Saturday morning, but protesters were already demonstrating Friday in Grand Falls-Windsor against anticipated cuts in division 3K.
Those cuts did arrive. 3K is the hardest hit, losing almost a quarter of last year's total allowable catch at 7,643 tonnes, down from 9,998 tonnes in 2024.
The FFAW is already anticipating a difficult season due to tariffs in the U.S., the single largest buyer of N.L. snow crab. In a release, the union said the cuts were "wholly unacceptable to fish harvesters, as they are fundamentally misaligned with the ecological realities of the region."
Similarly, Subdivision 3Ps saw a loss of around 16 per cent, down to 7,506 tonnes, down from 8,936 tonnes in 2024.
However, in 3LNO the quota is up 25% to 45,333 tonnes, up from 36,403 tonnes last year.
And the fishery as a whole will see a total allowable catch of 62,883 tonnes, up from last year's 57,568.
Crab prices still uncertain
Meanwhile, negotiations between the FFAW/Unifor and the Association of Seafood Producers were still at an impasse leading into the weekend and are scheduled to proceed to a panel for review on Sunday.
In a release, the union said they would prefer to delay the panel review, because "with the uncertainty around tariffs and the news last night on 3K crab quotas, the committee feels a hearing at this time is not in the best interest of the industry."
The snow crab season is scheduled to begin April 1 in most areas, with delays in parts of area 3K.
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