Off-Loading of Snow Crab

The snow crab is off loaded from the boat each day. When we have finished hauling our traps we will head for shore. Every boat needs to radio the "monitor" and let them know what port they are heading to, what time they will arrive, and if they will be off loading snow crab. The monitor will give each boat an unique identification number every day.

Once at port you are free to sell your crab to whoever you choose. In Pleasant Bay we sell to "Pleasant Bay Fish", but normally we sell to "Victoria Coop Fisheries" out of Bay St. Lawrence and Neil's Harbour.

The crab is off loaded by hand. Workers fill plastic tote boxes with approximately 50 lbs of crab. The boxes are taken off the boat, and weighted accurately on the wharf. Crab are added or removed to have precisely 50 lbs in each box. The box is iced, stacked on a palette and ultimately loaded on a transport truck.

This whole process is being watched by a third party, the "monitor". This person is there to ensure that the weight of crab is being properly recorded, and that all crab is removed from the boat at the end of the off loading process. All fisherman are on a quota system and the monitor ensure that the quotas are being adhered to.

All the boxes (below) will be filled by the end of the day.

Next "Off Loading Part 2"