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The snow crab fishery in zone 19 began in the early 1960's with only a handful of fishers, but it has evolved to where we are today, a fishery with 111 license holders. Our Assocciation itself began as "Area 19 Snow Crab Working Group"; this group was formed to act as the contact point for the Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO) to consult fishers on related management issues. Since those early times our fishery has grown and become more complex, fishers wanted and needed a more active part in the management of the fishery. As a step toward this goal in 1994 we were duly incorporate as "Area 19 Snow Crab Fisherman's Association", a non-profit group. Our mandate is now, and has always been, to represent and protect the best interests of both our fishers and our fishery. In 1994 we also started the next steps to establishing more stability in our fishery, we began work on the initial stages of a co-management agreement / partnership with the federal DFO. After much time and effert from all involved we have accomplished a great feat, we now have a five-year Co-management Plan and an Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) with DFO. The plan was initially signed in 1996 and we are hoping to carry it over into anther term. We know co-management works, we have experienced it and feel it has made our fishery steonger. The agreement allows for the best possible management of our fishery. Within the scope of the agreement there is: - joint decision making on all issues between our Association and DFO - cost sharing for items such as management, enforcement, and science - an allowance for additional future sharing of the resource with redistribution based on price The location of Area 19 is on the
west coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, in
the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The total landings vary from season to season and are based on scientifice studies, data and recommendations. The shore price for our product also varies from year to year and is largely depended on quality and market conditions.
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The snow crab is fished in
some of the deepest and coldest water on the area. Our
season typically runs from July 15 to September 15 of each
year but the bulk of the crab is landed within the first
three weeks of the season. After production, the majority of
the snow crab is then shipped to Japan.