Seafood refers to animals in the sea or water that can be consumed by humans. These include; fish, shellfish, water snails etc.
As of 2014, Canada was being counted as the seventh-largest distributor of seafood with the US, China and Japan topping the list. The exportation of seafood from Canada was not well sustainable due to limited species tracking.
One of the major seafood in Canada is Fish
The Canadian fish industry is a major contributor to the growth of the economy. As of 2016, the industry exported about 6.6 billion dollars worth of fish. This fish industry has employed approximately 72,000 persons into the industry.
The terminology associated with the farming and breeding of fish, shellfish as well as aquatic plants in both salt and fresh water is called aquaculture. It is the fastest seafood production in Canada.
As of 2015, this sector generated more than $1billion in GDP. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans are in charge of the management and overseeing of Canada’s aquatic resources. They tend to work with the fishermen to maintain the oceans and ensure its sustainability also.
How is Fish being processed in Canada?
There are several methods and ways in which fish is processed in Canada for final consumption, but the major method being utilized in Canada is Advanced Processing and for the purpose of this article, it will be explained in detail.
Advanced Processing
This advanced processing includes filleting, freezing, curing and canning. This process aids preservation in a healthy manner. Using this method, transporting the product over long distances is possible.
What seafood is exported from Canada?
Some of the different varieties of freshwater fish imported to Canada include trout, tilapia, and catfish. In 2020, over 73 million Canadian dollars of trout were imported to Canada. Canada’s main freshwater fish exports in that year were whitefish, pickerel, and perch.
Canada is currently becoming a giant in the area of seafood export. This is according to a new report from “Canadian Seafood Market, islandsbanki gave accolades stating that there has been major growth in volume and value of seafood, especially lobster. There has also been a tremendous increase in exports of seafood including lobsters.
How much Seafood is consumed in Canada?
It’s been said that Canadians consume fish an average of 3.7 times monthly. Their most common reason for consuming seafood is fish followed by the taste. This high seafood consumption has made the seafood business Lucrative.
Canada is well known for its extensive borders with large water bodies. It is said that Canada has more lakes than any other country in the world. You’ll find most provinces and territories are on the seaside as a result, the seafood industry has become one of the most Lucrative and thriving sectors of agriculture in Canada.
The sector has currently become a thriving employer of labour ranging from fishermen to seafood pickers, seafood distributors, seafood processors and the rest.
Labourers in the seafood industry
Its a well-known fact that the seafood industry in Canada has become a source of income and a current employer of Labour.
The labourers in this industry perform duties such as cleanup, packaging, distributing, and other manual activities related to fishing and seafood processing.
These labourers are employed in every seafood and fishing industry all over Canada.
These labourers get to find opportunities for employment in provinces or territories that have maritime boundaries.
There is a NOC code for labourers who work in the food or seafood processing industry in Canada. The code is 9618. There are different codes for different job classes.
Job description and job title of Labourers in Food and seafood processing industries in Canada under the NOC code 9618.
When an individual who intends to be a labourer in a food and seafood processing industry migrates to Canada, the job description are as follows;
- Loading and Unloading fish, shellfish and any other seafood from the vessels and taking them to the appropriate places.
- Soak seafood, fish and its fillets or shellfish into brine Solutions to prepare them for wrapping and freezing.
- Get the weight of every fish and shellfish, and also have them in the record while packing them in ice for preservation.
- Sort fish according to their species, weight and destination also.
- Work areas and equipment be kept clean.
