The amount of pink shrimp that can be commercially caught in Area 6 of Newfoundland and Labrador has reached the lowest level in history, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has warned.
According to a new assessment, there were only 104,000 metric tons (MT) of fishable shrimp in the area in 2016, which means that the resource is in a "critical" state.
That volume has been decreasing year after year – falling 25 percent from 2015, and a peak of 785,000 MT in 2006.
The female spawning stock declined by 27 percent for the region, which covers much of the northeast coast of Newfoundland and southern Labrador, according to local reports.
Area 5 also experienced a 27 percent decline, while Area 4 experienced a slight increase which could be a result of the currents in the area.
The quota for the current fishing season allows fishermen to take 20 percent of all fishable shrimp in the zone, but in most areas designated as "critical,” that amount should be only 10 percent, said one DFO biologist.
It was also highlighted that cod stocks have increased, and with less capelin available for food, they have been eating more shrimp.
DFO will present a written report in March that will be discussed with fishing industry representatives.
In line with the decreased availability and strong demand for coldwater shrimp, global prices have been at high levels for several months. This demand has been further exacerbated by the reduced availability of farmed warmwater shrimp over the past three years.
The biggest market in the world for the product is the United Kingdom, which imported more than 40,000 MT with a value of GBP 316 million (USD 393.3 million, EUR 371 million) in 2015. This trade is thanks largely to coldwater prawns being a traditional component of many Christmas menus.
