Agreement Reached for 2020 Squid Price
July 29, 2020
Negotiations were held this week between FFAW and ASP for the 2020 squid price. After two days of negotiations, FFAW and ASP have come to an agreement on price for the season.
The per pound price this year is 77 cents per pound, with a 5% water deduction. Settling on a water deduction was important, as last year harvesters were subjected to water deductions of between 10% and 30%. This year any deduction of more than 5% will be a clear violation of the collective agreement.
There are strong signs of squid again this year and we expect another good squid season. Last year, with the multi-week disruptions over price, harvesters still landed 2800 mt of squid. With this agreement, there should be no disruptions this year, and landings may be better if squid are abundant.
With a much larger squid fishery, it is important that harvesters focus on landing a quality product, as it helps establish value for NL squid in the international markets into which we now export. Squid quality and storage guidelines have been drafted and address issues such as proper icing procedures and the importance of landing squid within a reasonable period.
Thank you to the negotiating committee for your very good work this week.