Quinlan plant puts best PR foot forward after being charged for trying to sell rotten crab

With 2,100 boxes of snow crabin the landfill and four charges laid under the Fish Inspection Act,Quinlan Brothers Ltd. is eager to change the narrative that the company is selling rotten crab.

Company president Robin Quinlan hosted the media on a tour of its seafood processing plant in Bay de Verde on Wednesday, with a local communications company along for a livestream and to guide discussion points.

Quinlan said the event's goal was to be transparent and to stand up for the quality of its product.

"We have nothing to hide," Quinlansaid.

"We enjoy what we do. We produce a premium product. We've done it for 50 years and we're going to continue to do it."

In May and June, the provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture inspectors conducted a surprise inspection at the Quinlan Brothers crab processing facility after encountering some quality issues with snow crab.

The Department of Fisheries attributed the issue to crab being dead before processing, anddeemedsome of Quinlan catch unfit for the market.

The dumped crab amounted to 52,000 pounds, or almost 24,000 kilograms, of product.

Staff wanted to prove quality of product, president says

In a media release, the provincialDepartment of Fisheries said quality is of utmost importance in maintaining the province's reputation for seafood in the global market.

"Holding and handling conditions have a direct impact on the quality of snow crab from the time it comes out of the water until it is processed. If crab isn't handled or stowed properly throughout this chain, quality is affected," the statement said.

Quinlan said the plant's staff members wanted to prove they value the quality of their product before the annual crab season concluded.

"The reason we're here is because the 507 people in this plant wanted to say something before we close the doors," he said.

"These people have spoken by showing you what they do and now we can conclude our business for 2024 and look forward to a productive 2025."

The company seemed to be sensitive about its messaging. It hired Pilot Communications to arrange the tour, and to be on site.

WATCH | Earlier this month, The Broadcast's Todd O'Brien broke down the dumping of snow crab at Bay de Verde:

50,000 pounds of dead snow crab are at the centre of a brewing controversy over inspection methods

1 month ago

Duration 2:02

Robin Quinlan, president of the Quinlan Brothers Plant, is fuming that the equivalent of $500,000 worth of snow crab ended up in the ground because of what he calls outdated inspection methods something he and the provincial government are at odds over. The CBCs Todd OBrien breaks down the story.

As journalists worked to interview staff members, Pilot account manager Anna Krasnikova took the lead in asking questions ofQuinlan's floor supervisor Cathy Knapman.

Knapman worked on the day the crab produced was said to be rotten and told Krasnikovathat staff followed protocol.

"We follow protocol like we do every time, from the day we open till the day we close. Our processes don't change, no matter what the situation with the crab is like," Knapman said.

Meanwhile, Quinlan said the company is answering to the charges laid by the provincial government despite independent inspectors passing the catches in question.

"We made a decision. We consulted this table on what we thought was best and we decided to process the product and for that we were charged and to those charges we will answer," Quinlan,holding his own microphone, told reporters.

Looking ahead to the next 2025 crab season, Quinlan said his name is on each box of crab and where his name is, there is a quality catch.

"That's the only thing that speaks for you is what's in that box," he said.

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