The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, today released an independent report on the regulation of snow crab, which addresses concerns raised by processors regarding crab inspections and quality control and calls for a more cooperative and coordinated approach to quality between industry and government.

The report, Snow Crab Food Safety and Quality: A Discussion of Issues Related to Provincial Regulation, refutes assertions made by snow crab processors. It also reminds the industry of the successful measures taken by the Provincial Government over the past 20-plus years to improve quality assurance and sector performance.

Commissioned by the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, the report is a response to concerns expressed by processors over crab grading and inspection processes, and a call from the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) for sweeping changes to the provincial fish health, safety and quality inspection regime.

Minister Byrne provided copies of the report to ASP membership during a meeting held the morning of November 19, 2024. The full report, presentation, and a letter from the Minister are available here.

Concerns refuted by the report include:

• Independent dockside graders are licensed by the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, and therefore the department ensures the integrity and quality of independent dockside grader inspections. This is incorrect.
  • Independent dockside graders are a service paid for and directed solely by the licensed processors. This does not mean the department endorses their methods, equipment or processes. The presence and activity of independent dockside graders is an outcome of collective bargaining between the ASP and the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union (FFAW). It is flawed to suggest they are mandated, directed or regulated by Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

• Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture licenses independent dockside graders, so therefore it has a regulatory oversight responsibility of its professional conduct. This is false.
  • As the report states: “The linkage made by industry that the licensing of independent dockside graders provides an endorsement of its processes is a misnomer.” Independent dockside graders are licensed by Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture only to give evidence of their activity as legally valid. It does not indicate that any measure of independent dockside grader activities is under provincial regulatory oversight or enforcement. They are a contractor to the processors and are empowered by the collective agreement, not by the Fish Inspection Act.

• Independent dockside graders are better equipped to determine crab quality than government inspectors. This is not a fair representation.
  • Independent dockside graders use only visual inspection methods to determine crab quality. Government inspectors receive significant training and deploy industry standard equipment to determine crab quality.

Other highlights of the report:

• Globally, it is generally accepted that crab, lobster and other shellfish must be processed while alive since shellfish deteriorate within minutes of death, and microbiological and enzymatic decomposition begins.
• Protocols around critically weak and dead crab are ultimately enforced by the Department of Fisheries, Food and Agriculture. Crab is required to be alive when processed.
• The recommendation to examine the inconsistency between how crab assessments are undertaken byIndependent Dockside Graders and department inspectors.
• The need for a cooperative and coordinated approach to quality between industry and government, and the substantial financial impact on all stakeholders if quality or food safety concerns arise.
• The results of a jurisdictional scan of the Atlantic Canadian and Alaskan crab industries, which highlight best practices that require crab to be processed live to ensure food safety and quality.
• A discussion of the evolution of snow crab quality requirements in Newfoundland and Labrador, including findings from the 2003 Dunne Commission Report that provided the foundation for the province’s current licensing and regulatory framework.
• A description of the province’s quality assurance program, which aims to demonstrate confidence in achieving a consistent grade of excellence for wild and farmed seafood products.

Authored by Brian Delaney of Economic and Social Research Consulting, the report evaluates numerous elements of the industry including existing regulations, export requirements, grading methodology and technology, and inspection protocols, and reinforces substantial improvements made across the industry and in product quality since the province’s Quality Assurance Program was launched in the mid-1990s.

The report concludes: “Snow crab is a delicate creature. Careful product handling and stowage prior to processing is critical. Cooperative efforts to reduce missing limbs and mortality, improve handling and offloading practices to ensure timely processing of products etc., are always opportunities to improve, or at least maintain value.”

Quote
This report addresses statements that paint an inaccurate picture of the snow crab sector, but also reminds us of how far this industry has come and how hard it has been to get here. Newfoundland and Labrador has a hard-earned, well-deserved reputation for high-quality crab and has emerged as one of the largest snow crab producers in the world. We celebrate the rewards of arriving at this place, and we will never allow ourselves to fall backwards.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

-30-

Learn more
Follow us on X @GovNL and @FFA_GovNL

Like FFA on Facebook