Shellfish · MSC certified
Snow Crab
MSC-certified snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) — live in season, brine-frozen sections, legs, claws, K-pack and cooked meat.
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Certified sustainable seafood · Neil's Harbour, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton seafood, harvested and processed by the people who own the Co-op
Since 1955, Victoria Co-operative Fisheries has bought, processed and shipped much of the East Coast's freshest seafood. Owned entirely by the fish harvesters who supply it, the Co-op lands lobster, snow crab, Jonah crab and halibut from the cold, clean waters off the northeast tip of Cape Breton Island.
1955Established
100%Harvester-owned
100+Inshore vessels
500Jobs at peak season
MSC Certified Snow CrabBRC Food SafetyCFIA RegisteredTaste of Nova ScotiaSince 1955Product of Canada
Since 1955harvester-owned
A genuine co-operative
Owned by the harvesters, rooted in the community
Victoria Co-operative Fisheries is owned 100% by fish harvesters — the people who crew the boats and land the catch. That structure keeps decisions, dividends and accountability inside the community of Neil's Harbour and the fishing villages North of Smokey, from Ingonish Ferry to Meat Cove.
We buy from more than 100 inshore commercial vessels, most of them locally owned and operated by Co-op members. The catch is landed daily and moved straight to our plant, so quality is protected from the moment it leaves the water.
About the Co-opOur seafood
What we land and process
Cold-water shellfish and groundfish from the waters off northeastern Cape Breton — lobster, MSC-certified snow crab, Jonah crab and halibut, supplied live, fresh and frozen in foodservice and wholesale formats.
Shellfish · Wild-caught
Lobster
Wild Atlantic lobster (Homarus americanus) — live in season, plus whole cooked, raw and blanched frozen, bodies, tails and CK meat.
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Shellfish · Wild-caught
Jonah Crab
Wild Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) — ocean-run 4.5"–6"+, packed in 5 kg, with firm, sweet claw and body meat.
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Groundfish · Wild-caught
Halibut
Wild Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) — landed in season, supplied fresh and frozen, whole, H&G or filleted to order.
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Pelagic · Wild-caught
Mackerel
Wild Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) — whole frozen, landed by Co-op members for food and bait markets at home and overseas.
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Groundfish · Wild-caught
Groundfish
Wild North Atlantic groundfish landed by Co-op members — supplied frozen, whole, H&G or filleted to order, to buyer specification.
Read more →The Co-op in numbers
A working anchor of the local economy
$29M+2023 sales
$20M+Paid to harvesters (2023)
100+Inshore vessels
500Peak-season jobs
A sustainable industry
Science, conservation and the long view
Our members understand that their livelihood depends on healthy stocks. The Co-op fully supports the conservation and fisheries-management efforts its harvesters take part in, and we adapt the business as the resource changes — as we did when the groundfishery declined and the Co-op rebuilt itself around shellfish processing.
Our snow crab is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the highest recognised standard for sustainability in the fishing industry — independent assurance that the crab you buy comes from a well-managed, traceable fishery.
Our approach to sustainabilityWhy buy from Victoria Co-op
What our buyers get
A direct line to genuine Cape Breton seafood, handled to lock in quality and backed by a co-operative that has supplied the trade for seven decades.
Harvester-owned
Aligned with quality
Because the harvesters own the Co-op, everyone has a direct stake in landing and handling the catch well — there is no gap between who fishes and who is accountable for the product.
Landed daily
Fresh from local waters
Seafood is harvested daily from a pristine environment and delivered straight to our processing facility by refrigerated truck, then shipped in refrigerated reefer trailers — quality protected at every step.
Certified
MSC, BRC & CFIA
Snow crab is MSC certified; the plant operates to the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety and is federally registered with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Independent assurance, not adjectives.
Buyer guides
Sourcing insights for seafood importers
Practical guidance for buyers in the US, Europe and Asia — formats, grades, certifications and how to import wild Canadian seafood from a harvester-owned co-operative.
Buying MSC-certified snow crab from Canada: an importer's guide
What MSC certification means, the grades and formats importers buy, and the documents to request when sourcing Canadian snow crab.
Wild Canadian lobster for export: live and frozen forms explained
Live or frozen? A practical guide to the lobster forms export buyers choose, with sizing, seasonality and sourcing tips.
Snow crab and Jonah crab: formats, grades and counts for buyers
Sections, legs, K-pack, meat and ocean-run sizing — how to choose the right crab format and grade for your application.
Looking for Cape Breton seafood?
Tell us the species, form, volume and destination. As a harvester-owned co-operative we deal direct — send your enquiry and our team will reply with availability and pricing.