Canada denies French snow crab licence off Newfoundland

Canada’s fisheries minister, Joanne Thompson, stated that France has not issued a new snow crab licence off the coast of Newfoundland, despite a recent pledge by French President Emmanuel Macron. The Canadian government has been in contact with French officials to confirm that no such licence has been granted.

The dispute stems from Macron’s recent visit to the French archipelago of St-Pierre-Miquelon, where he reportedly pledged to grant an exploratory licence to a local company to harvest 1,500 tonnes of snow crab. This area is located along Canada’s continental shelf, a territory Canada claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Thompson affirmed Canada’s claim to the extension of its continental shelf and stated that the country does not agree with foreign snow crab fishing in that specific area. She noted that any licensing matters must be addressed through formal, established diplomatic processes, and no such discussions have occurred. The territory of St-Pierre-Miquelon is a significant economic hub for fishing, housing approximately 5,800 people.