Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne has released details of a snow crab report

The report, Snow Crab Food Safety and Quality: A Discussion of Issues Related to Provincial Regulation, was commissioned by the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne has released a report on snow crab food safety and quality. The report, Snow Crab Food Safety and Quality: A Discussion of Issues Related to Provincial Regulation, was commissioned by the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture. It responds to concerns expressed by processors over crab grading and inspection processes, and a call from the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) for sweeping changes to the provincial fish health, safety and quality inspection regime. Authored by Brian Delaney of Economic and Social Research Consulting, the report evaluates existing regulations, export requirements, grading methodology and technology, and inspection protocols, and reinforces substantial improvements made across the industry and in product quality since the province’s Quality Assurance Program was launched in the mid-1990s. It concludes with, “Snow crab is a delicate creature. Careful product handling and stowage prior to processing is critical. Cooperative efforts to reduce missing limbs and mortality, improve handling and offloading practices to ensure timely processing of products etc., are always opportunities to improve, or at least maintain value.”