A sustainable industry, in our members' own interest
The harvesters who own Victoria Co-op depend on healthy stocks for their livelihood. That is why science, conservation and partnership are not slogans here — they are how the business has lasted since 1955.
Adapting with the resource
The North Atlantic fishery has changed enormously over our lifetime. The Co-op has adapted its business to accommodate those changes in a highly effective and sustainable manner — most dramatically when the groundfishery collapsed and we rebuilt around shellfish processing, keeping boats fishing and the plant running.
Our members realise the importance of science and partnerships in managing our fisheries, and the Co-op fully supports the conservation and fisheries-management efforts they take part in. Through that partnership we are able to procure sustainable, high-quality seafood.
Sustainability in practice
Four things keep our seafood both sustainable and high quality — from the water to the refrigerated trailer.
Science & conservation
Our harvesters take part in science-based conservation and fisheries-management efforts, and the Co-op fully supports them — because well-managed stocks are what secure the fishery for the next generation.
MSC certification
Our snow crab is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, the highest recognised standard for sustainability in the fishing industry, with independent assessment and a traceable chain of custody.
Landed daily, kept cold
Seafood is harvested daily from a pristine environment and delivered directly to our processing facility by refrigerated truck, then shipped in refrigerated reefer trailers — protecting quality and reducing waste.
A local, accountable chain
Because the harvesters own the Co-op, the whole chain — from boat to plant to shipment — sits in one accountable, local organisation, with traceability back to the waters the catch came from.
Sustainable handling is better handling
The same practices that protect the resource protect the product. A short, cold, local supply chain — landed daily, tested in-house and moved under constant refrigeration — means the seafood reaching your kitchen or counter arrives at its best.
It also means traceability: we can tell you where a product came from, because it was caught by our members and processed at our own plant in Neil's Harbour.
Frequently asked questions
Is Victoria Co-op's seafood sustainable?
Our snow crab is MSC certified, and our harvesters take part in science-based conservation and fisheries-management efforts that the Co-op fully supports. We have a long record of adapting the business to keep the fishery viable.
What does MSC certification mean?
Marine Stewardship Council certification is the highest recognised standard for sustainability in the fishing industry. It assures buyers that the fishery is well managed and that the product can be traced through the supply chain.
How do you keep seafood fresh and reduce waste?
Seafood is landed daily from a pristine environment, delivered directly to our plant by refrigerated truck and shipped in refrigerated reefer trailers — a short, cold, local chain that protects quality at every step.
Buy certified, traceable Cape Breton seafood
Source MSC snow crab and wild lobster, Jonah crab and halibut direct from the harvester-owned Co-op. Get in touch.