Snow crab catch down, but value is up

DFO releases data

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans provided numbers Wednesday to suggest snow crab landings in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are not far off the normal range this year, even with a series of closures in effect due to the presence of North Atlantic right whales. The data for snow crab fishing areas 12, 12E and 12F combined show estimated landings, as of May 30, of 13,475 tonnes, just short of the 13,684 tonnes landed for the same period in 2016, when there were no closures imposed. The fleet has landed about 61 per cent of its total allowable catch (TAC), compared to 68 per cent landed at this point in 2016. At an estimated price of $11.0231 per kilogram this spring, compared to an average price of $8.19 per kilogram in 2016, the value of this year’s catch, so far, is estimated at $148.5 million, a jump of over $35.5 million. The value, DFO notes, doesn’t take into account the number of trips it takes to catch the crab. The department explained it is using 2016 as a reference for comparison because the TAC that year of 20,000 tonnes was very comparable to this year’s TAC of about 22,000 tonnes. The TAC last year hit an all-time high of 40,000 tonnes, and just over half of that had been landed by this time last year. The department announced additional dynamic closures on May 27, some of which are effective May 31, due to the presence of right whales. The dynamic closures will be in effect for at least 15 days but can be extended if whales remain in the area. The total area of the dynamic closures now measures approximately 3,500 square kilometres, which is in addition to the 6,490-square-kilometre static closure which has been in effect since April 28. No members of the P.E.I. snow crab fleet fish in the dynamic closure area but some would normally have fished in the static closure area.