Processing Companies Shipping Out Crab at Plant Workers’ Expense

ST. JOHN’S, NL – FFAW-Unifor is sounding the alarm on the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) for prioritizing the export of massive quantities of snow crab over the livelihoods of plant workers in Newfoundland and Labrador. Despite stable crab landings, many processing plants are operating at historically low capacities, leaving workers with less than half their usual hours during the peak crab season.

FFAW-Unifor has received reports from several trusted individuals that companies such as Quinlan Brothers and Ocean Choice International are trucking significant volumes of snow crab out of the province, undermining local processing jobs.

“Our plant workers are struggling to make ends meet while processors ship crab elsewhere, prioritizing profits over people,” said FFAW-Unifor President Dwan Street. “ASP member companies have no reason to ship crab off this island when there are thousands of workers ready and willing to process it. This is not a capacity issue; this is a corporate control issue,” Street says.

The Union also accuses ASP of stifling competition by blacklisting owner-operator harvesters who attempt to sell their crab to buyers outside the province. A reported deal between ASP and the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance ensures that Newfoundland and Labrador crab is supplied to Nova Scotia processors in exchange for excluding NL harvesters from their markets.

“The Association of Seafood Producers is unfairly suppressing competition and prices in Newfoundland and Labrador. Their tactics are not the intent of policies meant to support our harvesters. In fact, ASP’s actions show just how badly this province needs more regulation and oversight of those wielding processing licenses,” Street explains. “Outside buyers were meant to address the complete lack of competition in our province, but instead the companies have used it to their advantage with no benefit flowing to the people of our province,” Street says.

FFAW-Unifor is calling for urgent provincial oversight of sales reporting to address the suppressed prices and growing disparities between Newfoundland and Labrador and other Maritime provinces. “ASP’s cartel-like control over the industry is hurting plant workers and harvesters alike. We need transparency and accountability to ensure fair prices and protect our communities,” Street says.

FFAW-Unifor is demanding immediate intervention from Minister Lisa Dempster to prioritize local processing and restore competitive balance to the snow crab industry, ensuring that the economic benefits of this vital resource remain in Newfoundland and Labrador.