Bay de Verde, Newfoundland, Canada-based Quinlan Brothers has filed a statement with the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador seeking damages related to the province’s seizure and destruction of snow crab.
The Newfoundland Department of Fisheries levied charges against Quinlan for allegedly processing dead snow crab and moving snow crab while under detention in July 2024. At the time, the department claimed there were quality and disposal issues with the snow crab, but ultimately, those charges were dismissed.
“For 70 years, Quinlan has built its reputation on integrity, world-class standards, and doing things the right way. The allegations made against us were wrong, they were unsupported by evidence, and they should never have been made,” Quinlan Brothers President Robin Quinlan said soon after the acquittal. “Our company, our employees, and our partners were forced to bear the weight of a situation created by flawed testing, improper procedures, and reckless public commentary by the previous Minister.”
Now, Quinlan is suing for damages related to the department seizing and destroying 52,000 pounds of processed crab that was ready for market, which the company said caused substantial financial losses and harm to the company’s reputation.
“This action is not about the current government, and it should not come as a surprise,” Quinlan said. “We made a commitment to find a way to resolve the financial losses caused by the destruction of our crab. This is about ensuring accountability for decisions made under the previous administration that caused substantial harm to our company, our employees, and the communities that depend on us.”
Quinlan said the statement of claim outlines a series of allegations against the Newfoundland Department of Fisheries, including “unlawful search and seizure, negligent investigation, misfeasance in public office, defamation, and the violations of rights,” the company said in a release. Quinlan Brothers previously said CAD 500,000 (USD 360,000, EUR 310,000) of crab was detained and destroyed during the inspection.
"Businesses must be able to trust that government regulators will act fairly, lawfully, and based on sound evidence," Quinlan said. "After being fully acquitted of all charges, we believe it is important to seek compensation for the losses we suffered and to ensure this never happens to another Newfoundland and Labrador business."
The Association of Seafood Producers, which represents the seafood processing industry in the province, said soon after the original charges were announced that the quality assurance program is flawed. Jeff Loder, who was executive director of the ASP at the time, said those regulations were resulting in unnecessary wastage of good product.
