This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
In Quebec, snow crab is awaited every year as impatiently as spring. The crustacean, whose delicate taste and tender frayed texture make it a very popular food, has been available in fish markets across the province since the end of March. Here’s what you need to know about this local product that we love to savor so much.
A bountiful harvest
On March 17, 2022, a few days before the opening of the snow crab fishery, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced that the total allowable catch (TAC) would increase to 32,519 tonnes this year, compared to 24,261 tonnes in 2021. something to rejoice the crabbers since the quotas had been lowered last year. “We’re kind of catching up,” explains Daniel Desbois, president of the Association des crabiers gaspésiens. “The fishing is going very well this season,” he adds.
The crabbers of the Bas-Saint-Laurent and the Côte-Nord were able to start their season at the end of March, while that of the fishermen of Gaspésie and the Magdalen Islands began later in April. Everything depends on the melting of the ice in the river and the gulf. The season is expected to last about eight weeks.
Salty bill
Christian Servant, owner of fishmongers Les délices de la mer, located in Montreal, Boucherville and Quebec, confirms that the catches are good, “but the crabs are very expensive. The prices per pound are unheard of! Across the province, snow crab has been seen selling for between $15 and $25 per pound live, and between $28 and $38 per pound cooked. Prices fluctuate depending on where it is sold (it is cheaper in the region), as well as during the fishing season.
This is due to strong global demand and a scarcity of the resource. Indeed, Alaska, a major competitor to the Maritimes, recently reduced its quotas by 88%, a historic drop, because its snow crab population collapsed last year due to the warming of the Bering Sea. . In addition, there is currently a boycott of Russian snow crab due to the conflict in Ukraine. Quebec fishermen will therefore be called upon to export a large quantity of their catches.
It is clear that it is not the exorbitant price of snow crab that will curb its popularity in Quebec. In fact, Christian Servant notices that his regular customers are always there, and this, from one end of the province to the other.
Sustainable fishing
For the record, the snow crab fishery in eastern Canada began in 1960 near Gaspé, Quebec. Its development and popularity took time to gain traction. According to Daniel Desbois, it was in the 1980s that the Japanese succeeded in making snow crab known to the general international public in search of new gourmet products, including Quebecers. It was at this time that the snow crab fishery grew to become one of the largest in the country.
Since 2020, the snow crab fishery has been certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which means that this industry meets strict standards that preserve the marine ecosystem and that there is no overfishing. Females and immature crabs are discarded, ensuring the species’ long-term survival.
“Fishing is done in traps that look like upside-down ice cream cones,” explains Daniel Desbois. The crab goes to look for the bait there and falls into it. »
How much to serve, and with what?
Snow crab can be purchased live or cooked, whole or in sections. In order to prepare a hearty appetizer or a light meal, Christian Servent suggests getting two sections of snow crab per person, for a total of 10 legs. In his opinion, “at the price at which it is sold this year, it is better to eat it plain or with a white butter sauce” so as not to distort it and thus fully appreciate its subtle flavors.
And then, what to drink to accompany your shellfish? David Deschênes, owner of Le Biérologue – Le Vinologue specialty store in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, suggests opting for a bold drink. “The sparkling wine from the Cryo cider house will go wonderfully with shellfish with its fine bubbles. It is drunk like champagne,” he says.
As for local beers, he likes to offer Dunham’s table beer or Harricana’s Gewurtztraminer, pale and light beers, delicate and refreshing, coming in very nice bottles.