In recent years, the provincial fishing industry has moved from one dominated by groundfish to one propelled by shellfish production. This trend has been reinforced by increased quotas for the two largest shellfish species, crab and shrimp.
The 1997-98 snow crab management plan for Newfoundland and Labrador contained provisions for an increase of over 15 percent in the quota to 44,315 tonnes. The 1997 total allowable catch for northern shrimp was increased by 57 percent to 59,050 tonnes with about 90 percent of this expansion going to Newfoundland and Labrador. For the first time ever, the inshore fleet (under 65 feet) has been given access to the northern shrimp fishery with a quota of just over 10,000 tonnes. Some of these enterprises would have previously relied heavily on groundfish (mainly cod).