Union, N.L. government push back against lobster, snow crab being labelled foods to avoid
Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program says fishery impacts North Atlantic right whales
The Newfoundland and Labrador government and the union representing fish harvesters in the province say a recent addition of snow crab and lobster to a list of foods to avoid buying is unwarranted, irresponsible and disappointing.
Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program — which runs what it calls a science-based seafood recommendation list to inform consumers, chefs and business professionals — placed all Canadian lobster and snow crab on an "avoid" list because of what the group says is the potential impact for North Atlantic right whales to become entangled in fishing gear.
Jason Spingle, secretary treasurer of the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union, said the snow crab and lobster recommendation is "totally unfounded."
"Newfoundland lobster has been on a significant upswing in the past decade in particular all over the province. It's one of the primary fisheries, if not the primary fishery, on most of the south coast and west coast, right up through the Northern Peninsula," Spingle said Monday.
Of the hundreds of harvesters he has heard from, Spingle said, none have actually seen a right whale while fishing. He said he knows of only two sightings in Newfoundland waters, neither during lobster fishing season, and there have been zero reports of entanglements.
"This hasn't been a Newfoundland and Labrador issue. We've participated in the DFO's universal gear-marking program. Every lobster, crab and all other fisheries have specific markings to identify the region and the species," he said.
"We've done everything we can, reasonable, but again there's been no indication that any of our fisheries in this province, and to my best knowledge any lobster fisheries for sure, have had any impact on the recovery of North Atlantic right whales."
Spingle, who called Monterey Bay's move disappointing, said he hopes they will rethink their decision.
On Friday, the provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture condemned the organization for its decision.
"The listing is based on the potential impact for North Atlantic right whales to become entangled in fishing gear. However, the judgment fails to recognize that this species is not commonly found in traditional snow crab and lobster fishing grounds frequented by Newfoundland and Labrador harvesters," reads a media release from the department.
"In addition, there has been significant effort over recent years by the Canadian snow crab and lobster sectors to introduce measures to avoid potential conflicts with North Atlantic right whales, which does not appear to have been considered by Seafood Watch."
The department said the seafood industry in Newfoundland and Labrador remains an integral component of the provincial economy and employs more than 17,000 people from over 400 communities throughout the province.
In 2021, the total value of the province's fishing sector was $1.6 billion, with the most significant portion from snow crab, said the department, marking the seventh consecutive year the value of seafood products has surpassed $1 billion.
Spingle said he has attended two meetings about the North Atlantic right whale, which gave him a "good overview" on the advisory for avoiding the species. He said there have been entanglements in crab fishing gear in the gulf, adding commercial ship strikes have been more of an issue.
"But again any of these issues haven't been anywhere near Newfoundland or Labrador waters," he said.
"We sit on the Lobster Council of Canada … and as they've outlined, we've done everything we can to work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and other environmental groups to protect right whales and as we can see, that's working."
With files from The Broadcast