Snow Crabs

Caught in the pristine and frigid waters of the world’s northern oceans snow crab is a dinner table delicacy. GIANT is committed to ensuring the future availability of seafood such as snow crab by investing in the proper management for the conservation of our world’s natural resources. GIANT has partnered with the New England Aquarium to develop an innovative and proactive sustainable seafood program that we’re proud to call ChoiceCatch™. Through this relationship with the Aquarium, products such as snow crab undergo a thorough environmental screening process to ensure that the seafood that we provide to our customers is the best possible seafood available!

We purchase snow crab from populations that thrive in Alaskan waters and off of the Atlantic coast of Canada. GIANT is devoted to offering the best quality and taste in snow crab to our customers. In addition to quality and taste, we probe into other issues such as the management of the fishery, the long-term sustainability of the species and the impact that the fishery has on the surrounding environment. In the case of snow crab, we’ve done our homework, and here’s a glimpse of what we focused on:

• Biology – What is the history of the fishery? Are there unique aspects to the biology of the species? At what age do they spawn and at what age are they being caught?
• Population – Is the population healthy? In previously overexploited areas, has the population shown signs of rebounding?
• Management – Is there an effective plan in place to manage the fishery? Do the regulations support long-term sustainability of the species? Who manages, monitors and enforces these regulations?
• Bycatch – Are fish, shellfish or marine mammals being accidentally caught while fishermen target snow crab?
• Habitat – Does the fishing gear cause damage to the underwater habitat? Does the fishery produce waste that could harm the environment?

To determine the environmental impacts of a fishery, it is important to consider all these factors. The snow crab we sell are caught in large traps, called crab pots, by fisherman in Atlantic Canada and Alaska. Pots capture snow crab alive, and allow fishermen to release all females to protect populations. Recently, Alaska has adopted regulations similar to Canada that give fishermen a share of the catch. This provides more flexibility, so fishermen can avoid dangerous winter weather, and has extended fishing seasons from days to months, ending the “race for crab”.

Through our ChoiceCatch™ program, we evaluate the health of the crab populations in Canada and Alaska every year and modify where we purchase our crab based on this information. Canadian snow crab landings have been consistently high, but some populations are stronger than others, so we monitor all potential sources. Alaskan snow crab populations have been low, but recently have reached the highest levels seen this decade and look like they are on the road to recovery.

Making responsible and sustainable seafood choices can be very complex. The right choices are not always obvious. Fisheries are ever-changing, but through our partnership with the New England Aquarium we are working hard to bring you only the highest quality crab available while taking appropriate steps to ensure there continues to be snow crab for everyone to enjoy in the future.