Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has cut this year’s Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab quota by 5 percent.
This year’s 52,502 metric tons quota is spread across five fishing areas — 2J, 3K, 3LNO, 3Ps and 4R3Pn. The quota in the 3K area off northeastern Newfoundland was slashed by 22 percent, while quota in the 2J area off southern Labrador was reduced by 11 percent, the DFO reported on Thursday. Quotas are up slightly for areas off the west and east coasts of the island.
This is the second consecutive year that the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab quota has been cut. It increased from 54,110 metric tons in 2009 to 56,087 metric tons in 2010. Previously, it was set at 54,338 metric tons in 2008 and 47,663 metric tons in 2007.
The 2011 quota totaled 55,559 metric tons, 95 percent of which was landed.
