SEA-NL relaunches Pot to Plate; public encouraged to buy snow crab from inshore boats at the wharf
Wednesday, May 24th, 2023 — Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) has relaunched its Pot to Plate program to connect inshore boats directly with the public interested in buying snow crab for personal consumption.
“Pot to Plate won’t take a dent out of this year’s 121 million/lb crab quota — that’s not what the program is about,” says Pam Patten, a Fortune-based inshore enterprise owner and President of SEA-NL.
“Pot to Plate will help build local markets around the province, reintroduce our people to buying seafood at the wharf, and put some cash in the pockets of the inshore fleet — particularly smaller boats,” Patten adds.
SEA-NL announced Pot to Plate on April 4th, but the program was immediately delayed due to the snow crab tie-up, which ended on May 19th.
By law, boats in the inshore fleet can sell certain species — including snow crab — to the public when they land at the wharf and after the catch has been monitored, as long as the seafood is for personal consumption.
Under the Pot to Plate program, once an order form is filled out on the SEA-NL website (sea-nl.ca) members of the public will be connected with an enterprise owner in their area of the province.
SEA-NL has recommended snow crab be sold at the wharf to the public for $5/lb, but the ultimate price will be up to individual enterprise owners. All details of the sale, including pick-up time and location, are worked out between the two parties — with SEA-NL serving as a conduit between buyer and seller.
“SEA-NL is asking the province as a whole to step up and buy fresh live North Atlantic snow crab direct from our fishermen and women at a fair price at the wharf,” Patten says.
The six-week snow crab tie-up ended last week when the union and processors agreed to a 2023 price of $2.20/lb.
Restricted buyers (including restaurants or retail fish shops) can also purchase snow crab directly from a harvester, but are limited to 300/lbs a week.
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