INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Building a seafood sector that’s as
resilient as the people who power it.
SEAFOOD PROCESSING IN
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
For generations, our local seafood processing sector has been sharing our most prized natural resource with the world – providing stable employment for our people and supporting thousands of families.
From the early days of salted split cod, we’ve diversified our industry and transformed our province into a world-class exporter of highly sought and treasured seafood.
From small, family-run operations to large-scale facilities, our member producers ensure that the value of our natural resources keeps close to home. Every step of the value chain – processing, logistics, packaging, export – fuels jobs and growth in our communities.
With over $1 billion in annual export value, seafood processing is one of the most important industries in our province, delivering economic benefits that ripple far and wide across our communities.
DID YOU KNOW?
ASP Members produce 76% of snow crab and 90% of coldwater shrimp
ASP Members consist of
21 companies with
44 locations.
ASP Members buy product from over 2700 independent local harvesters
OTHER
QUICK
FACTS
OTHER QUICK FACTS
Members include mostly family-owned, small, medium, and large producers – including two producers owned by independent harvesters.
Our production value exceeds $1 Billion every year.
ASP Members produce 80% of Newfoundland and Labrador’s wild catch production sale value, and 75% of the total sales value of seafood products in the province.
ASP Members employ over 6000 people – almost exclusively in rural Newfoundland and Labrador
MARKET
TRENDS &
REPORTS
INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES
As global demand for sustainable, high-quality seafood continues to grow, so must our industry. And as citizens of our communities, our processors are deeply invested in the long-term health of the seafood sector – because if we make it hard to grow, we make it hard to stay.
Combing tradition with innovation, our members are leaders in implementing responsible sourcing practices that meet or exceed global quality standards.
Many participate in rigorous third-party certification programs, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – the global gold standard in evaluating fisheries on stock health, ecosystem impact, and effective resource management.
Sustainability also means embracing new technologies and collaborative research. From waste reduction and energy efficiency to innovations in product development and traceability, our members are working to future-proof while keeping our traditions alive.
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
MSC is a globally-recognized program for wild, sustainable seafood. The rigorous 18-month assessment looks at all aspects of the fishery to ensure compliance with internationally-accepted sustainability principles for sustainable fish stocks, ecosystem input, and effective fisheries management. Certification means full product traceability for consumers and greater market access and benefits for Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries.
ASP is a managing client and/or client in 3 MSC certified fisheries:
Canadian Snow Crab
Canadian Northern and Striped Shrimp
Greenland Halibut (Turbot)
Fisheries Improvement Project – Canada Atlantic Cod (2J3KL)
The Canada Atlantic Cod (2J3KL) fisheries improvement project is jointly led by ASP and the Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC). The FIP is supported by the Northern Cod Acoustic Tracking project to collect necessary cod tracking data to produce preliminary results. View FIP details here.
Fisheries Improvement Project – Newfoundland and Labrador Lobster
The Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Lobster fisheries improvement project (FIP) was first initiated in 2020. Led by ASP, the FIP intends to address all fishing practices in the legally permitted pot fishery for American lobster in lobster fishing areas 3-14, which operates in the waters surrounding the island of Newfoundland, completely within Canadian EEZ waters. View FIP details here.
