Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea said Wednesday that a new deal to export seal meat and other products to China will transform Canada's sagging seal fishery.

"As early as this spring, Canadian processors could begin shipping seal meat and oils into the world's biggest market for fish and seafood products," Shea said Wednesday in St. John's, where she was attending a meeting of a sealing industry advisory committee.

"This is a huge breakthrough for our sealing industry."

Canada announced an export deal on seal meat last week during a trade mission to China. The development brings new hope to the seal industry, which has been weathering a ban on seal products in the European Union as well as a slump globally in fur products.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has not put a value on the potential of the Chinese market for meat products, and Shea told reporters that sealers should not expect to see a sudden windfall.

"I think this industry … will grow slowly. I don't expect it's going to be a huge, huge impact right away," Shea said. "But it's still very exciting."

Sealers, however, are focused on a more pressing issue. A lack of ice has been reported in key areas in eastern Canada, raising questions about whether sealers will be able to catch this year's quota of animals.

"Last year the ice was limited. So far this year, no ice as well," Shea said. "This is something that the industry will have to discuss."