Our Story
Our History
Icewater Seafoods was founded in 2004 at a time when most had lost hope in the cod fishery.
The Northern cod moratorium had been in place for over a decade. Groundfish plants across Atlantic Canada had closed, and thousands of workers had lost their jobs. The Arnold’s Cove plant—the largest employer in the town—was at risk of the same fate.
With no buyer willing to take it on, Bruce Wareham made a decision that would define the future of the community. At 61 years old, after a 40-year career in the seafood industry, he invested his own retirement savings, worked with the Town of Arnold’s Cove, and partnered with employees to keep the plant open.
It was not just a business decision—it was a commitment to people. Over the next two decades, Icewater Seafoods did what few thought possible. It maintained year-round operations, invested in world-class processing technology, and kept Newfoundland and Labrador cod in premium global markets—even when local supply was limited.
That long-term vision is now being realized.
With the return of the Northern cod fishery, Icewater Seafoods is processing 100% Canadian cod for the first time in a generation—delivering immediate benefits to harvesters, workers, and communities across the province.
Our Place
Icewater Seafoods is built on the skill, dedication, and loyalty of its people.
We employ more than 250 people year-round in Arnold’s Cove—a town of fewer than 1,000 residents—making us the largest employer in the community every year since our founding.
Our employees are among the most experienced cod processing professionals in the world. Many have spent their entire careers at the plant, with some achieving more than 40 and even 50 years of service.
We are proud to offer:
Wages and benefits among the highest in Atlantic Canada
Stable, near year-round employment
A workplace culture built on respect, loyalty, and shared purpose
This is more than a workforce—it is a community of people who have believed in the future of the cod fishery for decades, and who are now seeing that belief rewarded.
Our Future
Icewater Seafoods continues to invest in innovation, sustainability, and people.
We are focused on strengthening our role in premium global markets while ensuring long-term value for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Bruce Wareham
As the head of the family-run business Icewater Seafoods,
Bruce Wareham was ahead of his time.
His career in the seafood industry spanned 55 years, and his hallmark hard work and tenacity were the driving force behind the successful building and operation of a state-of-the-art groundfish processing facility. A respected and long-serving member of the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation and the National Seafood Sector Council, his soft-spoken wisdom and commitment to industry stability and sustainability was second to none.
In 2021, he was posthumously honoured with Turning the Tide Industry Lifetime Achievement Award.