Snow crab price talks advancing as FFAW and ASP show willingness to work together

Alex Kennedy · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 4:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

A week of agelong days and astir astir the timepiece negotiations has left the Fish, Food and Allied Workers national and the Association of Seafood Producers optimistic that a snowfall crab harvest volition hap this year.

"The FFAW and ASP person done an unthinkable occupation unneurotic to person constructive conversations astatine this point," ASP enforcement manager Jeff Loder said Wednesday.

"Of course, until you get a deal, you person nary deal. But I americium cautiously optimistic that we are close." 

FFAW president Dwan Street told CBC News she feels the 2 sides are showing a willingness to enactment unneurotic that wasn't ever contiguous successful the past.

"I haven't seen 1 infinitesimal of negotiations that person been combative," she said.

"For the archetypal clip successful a fewer years, we're precise hopeful that we're going to get started connected time, get immoderate merchandise successful the marketplace and everything's going to beryllium moving smoothly."

The 2 sides are keen to negociate a woody arsenic soon arsenic possible. A gathering with a terms mounting sheet is scheduled for March 20 should the 2 sides not marque an statement by then. 

Loder says that gathering is the past happening they want.

Last year, the terms astatine the commencement of the snowfall crab season was $2.60 per pound. It came aft weeks of failed dialog efforts and nationalist protests that pb to the hold of the provincial fund erstwhile harvesters brought their concerns to the steps of Confederation Building.

The terms was $3.75 per lb by the extremity of the season, but Street says she's assured a amended terms tin beryllium reached this clip around. She hopes the play tin commencement on, or around, March 27.

"The marketplace is decidedly higher twelvemonth implicit year, truthful we're precise confident," she said, adding markets are healthy.

WATCH | FFAW and ASP some accidental terms negotiations for this year's crab fishery are going well:

But prices aren't the lone happening Street and Loder are sweating the details over, fixed economical threats to Canada from some the United States and China successful the signifier of tariffs applying to seafood.

Street said the tariffs would beryllium punishing, but there's still uncertainty connected if and erstwhile they'll travel into effect.

China has said tariffs would travel into effect connected March 20, and U.S. President Donald Trump has delayed tariffs doubly already up of his deadline of April 2.

"That does look to beryllium the large elephant successful the room," Street said.

"It's a large question. And then, of people we're getting into the weeds of, you know, who pays the tariff, who bears the tariff. And those are immoderate of the discussions that are presently ongoing."

Speaking with CBC News connected Tuesday, Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne said authorities support will beryllium successful spot for those impacted successful the fishery.

"This is going to beryllium a very, precise hard year, but it tin inactive beryllium a palmy year," Byrne said.

Talks volition proceed this week arsenic Street travels with the FFAW to Seafood Expo North America successful Boston.

Loder told CBC News helium cancelled his travel to prioritize getting a woody done, but has been assured Street volition beryllium disposable for talks and that meetings volition proceed with a delegate.

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