Crab is piling up in delivery trucks and could stay there for lack of buyers

Several refrigerated trucks full of cooked crab are parked near the McGraw Seafood plant in Tracadie on Wednesday. These shipments of the prized crustacean are waiting to hit the road and be distributed in the United States. But given the weak consumer demand this season, they could stay there for a while.

Gilles Thériault, president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association, explains that the market is quite difficult, particularly on the American side.

” Crab is trickling into the market. »

Last year, the industry was selling off the crustacean as it was caught and processed. This spring, buyers from the United States do not seem to be in a rush to do business with processors in northeastern New Brunswick.

Gilles Thériault noted that the Americans still have crab in stock from Russia. Also, the price discouraged amateurs. These two elements make refrigeration trucks stand still.

We have large quantities in stock. It was unexpected. Some say we haven’t seen this for 25 years. We know we’re going to sell our product, but at what price? We do not yet know the bottom where the Americans will buy. There is also inflation. There’s a limit to what people are willing to payexplains Gilles Thériault.

This has a direct impact on the crab bought from fishermen. Quota had jumped 40% with a starting price of over $8 a pound. But things quickly changed. Right whales arrived earlier in the fishing grounds, making it more difficult for fishermen.

Gilles Thériault would not be surprised if fishing companies fail to catch all of their quotas.

We spoke with some fishermen. We told them that we had the option of giving an advance of $6 a pound, while we wait to see where this bottom ends up. We can then adjust the prices at the end of the year as a result of the market. That’s kinda what’s going on says the president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association.

Concerns among fishermen

Paul Robichaud, fisheries advisor for the Acadian Regional Federation of Professional Fishermen (FRAPP), confirms that the snow crab fishing season is not meeting the objectives.

After five weeks of fishing this spring, 65% of the quota has been landed at the docks, compared to 81% for the same period in 2021.

The crab is present, but it is not present in the traps he remarked.

The problem is that the snow crab is breeding and not feeding. And so, he doesn’t go in the lockers.

Finally, the soft shellless crab, which has no commercial value, is about to take over.

We are very concerned about fishermen not meeting their quotas this year. We are realistic. The fishermen have seen others. Maybe we will see crab in the last two weeks in June hopes Paul Robichaud.

And then there are the whales

The closure of several fishing areas in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence due to the early arrival of right whales has also complicated matters, he said. The spokesperson for the FRAPPAcadian Regional Federation of Professional Fishermen maintains that 34 right whales have been spotted, which is causing the closure of several fishing areas.

We are in favor of protecting right whales, but when they have left a territory, we should be able to reopen it to fishermen. Even though it has been known since 2018, it is always a surprise to see large fishing areas eliminated by their presence. And they come earlier and earlier relates Paul Robichaud.

This year, anglers are using the new on-demand trap technology. It allows commercial fishing with a small number of traps in closed areas. These traps are ropeless and have an ascent buoy.

With information from journalist Mario Mercier