The province says an N.L. fish plant was trying to sell rotten crab. The fish plant is snapping back

The owner of a major seafood processing plant in Bay de Verde says major inspection issues are at the root of claims his company was selling rotten crab.

Robin Quinlan, president of Quinlan Brothers Ltd., said the accusations are a "very serious misrepresentation of the facts of what had occurred at the facility."

Quinlan told reporters Thursday that independent inspectors had assessed the catches in question and passed them. But when provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture inspectors showed up for a surprise assessment, they deemed those same catches unfit for the market.

The company was formally charged last week under the provincial Fish Inspection Act and Fish Inspection Operations Regulations accused of moving and processing dead snow crab.

The four charges are related to two provincial inspections at the plant in May and June.

Quinlan told reporters the independent inspectors said both catches contained 99 per cent live crab. He also detailed how his experienced production staff examines each specimen for distinct signs of contamination and rot before the crab is packaged and sold.

Provincial inspectors, he says, use different tools and grading methods compared to independent inspectorseven though both parties are following provincial rules about how to assess crab quality.

"There is absolutely no consistency in the inspection methods or sample sizes used by industry,specifically IDG [the independent inspectors] and [the Fisheries Department]," he said. "And herein lies the problem."

Quinlan said the province told him to either cull the product or they would seize it, and says they refused to assess the crab again.

The province took Quinlan's product to a landfill, despite his claims the buyer was happy with the product and still intended to purchase it.

Quinlan saidthe confiscated crab was worth about $500,000 andhe intends to fight the charge and the loss of revenue heincurred in court.

Minister concerned about market reputation

The charges against Quinlan Brothers Ltd. are suggestive of a wider problem, according to the province.

In a news release last week, the Fisheries Department said its inspectors had already encountered problems with snow crab quality this season, saying they've needed to toss out large volumes of dead crab around 200,000 pounds already this year.

"Quality is of utmost importance in maintaining Newfoundland and Labrador's reputation for seafood in the global market," the release said.

"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."

WATCH | Reporter Todd O'Brien explains a growing conflict in the world of crab:

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

3 months 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.

Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne told CBC News he's prioritizing Newfoundland and Labrador's reputation in the crab market and public health, but that changing inspection regulations wasn't off the table.

"I think that's worthy of a broader conversation where we bring in experts in food safety, food quality," Byrne said. "And that's what's about to occur now. We will bring in experts in this field to be able to provide us with better information."

The Association of SeafoodProducers says it brought concerns about inspection disparities to the province last year, but its proposal was rejected.

"Snow crab is the single most important economic driver in rural Newfoundland and Labrador," said executive director Jeff Loder.

"What has transpired this year with respect to the province's regulations regarding dead crab or critically weak crab, is very disappointing."

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