A fishing industry advocate was surprised to learn from harvesters that at least one major seafood producer in the province is asking crab harvesters to sign a document before leaving the wharf agreeing to a “service fee” of $2.22 a pound.

Ryan Cleary of SEA-NL says it appears to be a way to get around the $6.15 per pound for crab set by the Fish Price Setting panel.

Cleary has alerted the provincial government to the practice which, in essence, allows the producer to purchase crab for $3.70 per pound; $2.45 less than the negotiated price.

Cleary says to his knowledge, no harvester has signed the document.

He says charging fees for things like ice, offloading, discharging, freight and logistics “completely” undermines the Fish Price Setting Panel process. Cleary says the information has been passed on to the Provincial Fisheries Minister and, his understanding is, the Labour Board as well.

VOCM News has reached out to both the Department of Labour and Green Seafoods for comment.