UPDATE FOLLOWING MEETING WITH PREMIER TONY WAKEHAM AND ASP
January 20, 2026
FFAW met with the Premier Tony Wakeham and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) today, and it is clear he understands the seriousness of the situation and the concerns raised by harvesters about the ongoing pricing crisis.
The Premier is actively working on making the changes to processing we put forward last week, including:
- A “build it and you’ll get a licence” approach to processing.
- Strong penalties for companies caught colluding.
- No shipping crab out of province for companies holding a processing licence.
We also discussed last year’s agreed-upon pricing formula, which allowed the fishery to open on time, improved product quality in plants, eliminated scheduling, and ensured harvesters received the same price regardless of when they fished. Despite these improvements, harvesters ended up with a lower market price and an unexplained gap between Newfoundland and Gulf prices.
The Premier shared our concern and expressed that he is equally perplexed by ASP’s refusal to release the full price calculation—including all 5–8 oz sections—ahead of next month’s arbitration.
At the Premier’s insistence, ASP has agreed to consult with their members and report back to government tomorrow on whether they will release the calculation.
As soon as we receive more information, we will provide members with another update.