Loss of confidence in Saint Mary's leadership | SaltWireWhile both sides say they are willing to talk, the stalemate in the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab fishery continues.
Despite the Blackwood commission’s recommendations, which included a pricing formula, the two sides were unable to agree on a final version of that formula. The decision was then left to the province’s Standing Fish Price-Setting Panel to decide on what formula should be used. Loder said the ASP’s offer equitably shares risk between harvesters and processors and that harvesters will receive more than 50 per cent of the market share.
The ASP disputes that, saying FFAW-Unifor’s number is based on whole crab and that is not how crab is priced in the market. “The food service industry does not buy crab in June to sell in July. … Japanese buyers are interested in buying crab now, not later in the year.” “If we have a continued delay in the crab fishery, there will be serious losses in value associated with other fisheries,” he said.The late start also meant plant workers, who need every hour and week of work they can muster in order to qualify for maximum employment insurance benefits, had to work longer days to process the influx of crab that came in once the fishery did get going.