Figure 6
Newfoundland Dominant Share of US Snow Crab Market Increases
NL's non-Japan production as a share of total Canadian snow crab entering the US market rose from 51% to 76%, tracking the structural shift in quota allocation
51% → 76%
NL share of Can→US
(2017-18 → 2025-26)
45% → 77%
NL quota share
(2017-18 → 2025-26)
+25 pts
NL production share
gain over period
| Pack Year |
NL Quota (t) |
NL Quota % |
Can→US (M lbs) |
NL NonJp (M lbs) |
NL/Can→US |
| 2016-17 | 45,655 | 59.6% | 83.0 | 53.3 | 64.1% |
| 2017-18 | 35,000 | 44.6% | 81.0 | 41.3 | 51.0% |
| 2018-19 | 28,880 | 56.6% | 64.1 | 35.6 | 55.6% |
| 2019-20 | 26,531 | 46.3% | 71.8 | 36.8 | 51.2% |
| 2020-21 | 29,185 | 48.4% | 79.1 | 44.4 | 56.1% |
| 2021-22 | 37,790 | 61.3% | 88.7 | 58.8 | 66.2% |
| 2022-23 | 50,014 | 61.0% | 93.3 | 70.7 | 75.8% |
| 2023-24 | 54,305 | 61.0% | 113.9 | 72.3 | 63.4% |
| 2024-25 | 57,144 | 69.5% | 110.7 | 82.0 | 74.1% |
| 2025-26 | 62,882 | 77.4% | 117.5* | 89.6 | 76.3%* |
Key finding: NL's production share of Canadian snow crab entering the US market has risen to a record 76%, closely tracking quota allocation. The production share averaged 2.7 pp above quota share through 2024-25, but the gap narrowed in 2025-26 as the Gulf's deep quota cuts (down to 18,335t from 25,711t) pushed quota share to 77% while actual production share reached 76%. NL now supplies more than three quarters of all Canadian snow crab reaching the US market.
Methodology note: NL production does not occur after the season closures, so their calendar year maps directly to pack year. Canadian import volumes from US Census (HS 0306144020) are aggregated April–March to match pack year. * 2025-26 Canadian import data is through Jan 2026 (10 months); NL share estimated using full calendar year 2025 production (preliminary).
Source: NL DFA Production Reports, US Census Bureau (HS 0306144020), DFO Quota Reports
Prepared by Seafood Datasearch | March 2026