I should point out that snow crab is managed annually. Every year, the stock is assessed and capture rates are established. We have been fishing snow crab in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence since the mid-1960s. We have experienced both highs and lows in that time period.
Today, in 2016, the stock is in excellent health, like never before, as we are only fishing adult male crabs. Females and the young never come to the surface. No other fishing activities take place in the crab fishing areas. We fish crab using conical traps that are placed on the sea floor. That is an extremely environmentally friendly process. The species is in good health, but it definitely has a limit. On average, over the past 20 years, the limit may have been about 25,000 metric tons per year.