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Archived – Reports on State of the Snow Crab Industry and the State of the Shrimp Industry
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February, 2007
In November 2005, the Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (ACFAM) established a federal-provincial-territorial task group to develop a profile of the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the snow crab industry. At the March 2006 ACFAM meeting, a similar task group on the shrimp industry was established. The in-depth analyses will help governments and the industry to address challenges faced by these sectors.
The snow crab task group confirmed that despite several years of growth the industry faced major challenges in 2005 and 2006. For example, export earnings in 2006 were expected to be more than $450 million less than in 2004. The challenges facing the industry are largely due to the cyclical weakening of primary markets (the U.S. and Japan), and a cost-price squeeze due to the appreciation of the Canadian dollar and the sharp increase of fuel prices.
The shrimp task group confirmed that the shrimp industry in the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec faces significant threats to its viability. The Canadian resource is healthy, but it has been increasing at a time when shrimp production worldwide (including farmed shrimp) has increased to record levels. Demand has not kept up with global supply and shrimp has suffered a decade of steadily declining prices, recently exacerbated by a strengthened Canadian dollar. As with other fisheries, the shrimp fishery has also been challenged by high fuel prices and excess harvesting and processing plant capacity.
DFO and the provinces continue to work together to analyse and follow up on the task group reports along with results of a number of forums on these and other issues that have been taking place in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northumberland Strait and Quebec.
The Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers is comprised of Ministers from the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and Nunavut. The council meets on a regular basis to discuss and work collaboratively on fisheries and aquaculture issues of particular interest to Eastern Canada.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/communic/fish_man/ACFAM-CMPAA-eng.htm
