new brunswick anglers prepare for remarkable season

The crabbers expect to have a good season, despite the increase in fuel prices. The quota in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence has increased by more than 8,000 tonnes and the world market seems favourable.

Snow crab fishermen will be heading to sea in a few weeks. After a difficult year for this industry in 2021, the future looks brighter this year.

This offshore fishery is one of the most profitable in Canada and an important cog in the Atlantic economy. And with the total allowable catch going from 24,261 tonnes to 32,519 tonnes, the fishing looks good.

Navigate between ice and whales

© Francois Vigneault/Radio-Canada
Joël Gionet, president of the Association des crabiers acadiens

Despite a considerable increase in the crab quota, the president of the Association des crabiers acadiens, Joël Gionet, wants to put things in perspective.

I think we have to be careful because the quota we are going to fish this year is the equivalent of the quota we had in 2020. Last year, we suffered a huge drop“, he explains.

In recent years, crab fishing has had its share of challenges.

It is a question of starting fishing as soon as the presence of ice will allow the boats to go out, but before the arrival of the right whales.

Fishermen expect to be able to set sail shortly before mid-April.

As for the ice conditions, I would say that last week, we were a little worried, but since the last four or five days, there have been great improvementshe says enthusiastically.

A shared optimism

© Courtesy of Paul Robichaud
Paul Robichaud of the Acadian Regional Federation of Professional Fishermen

Paul Robichaud, fisheries advisor at the Acadian Regional Federation of Professional Fishermen, is also encouraged in this regard.

I know he has icebreaking efforts that are going to start this week with additional equipment that the Coast Guard,he explains.

The coast guard will make it available to us so that we can start as soon as possible. It’s regarding capturing the contingents and being less in the same place as the right whales. They will probably arrive around the same date as in the past.»

Last year, the first right whale was spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on April 25. The presence of right whales leads to the closure of certain areas, sometimes temporarily.

With information from Mario Mercier