The Canadian government announced on June 26 that it would allow commercial fishing of cod to restart off the country’s northeastern Atlantic coast after a ban lasting more than three decades.
“Ending the Northern cod moratorium is a historic milestone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It’s through working together that we have reached this moment,” Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier said in a news release from the Canadian government on June 26.
The country shut down commercial cod fishing in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1992 to protect plummeting stocks. Before that, cod a been central to the region’s economy for centuries. When the federal government declared the moratorium, the move heavily impacted an already struggling local economy.
The statement said that the government of Canada recognizes the historical, cultural, and economic importance of cod to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and that it is committed to the sustainable management of the species.
Ms. Lebouthillier declared an end to the moratorium, and said fleets would be allowed to catch 18,000 tonnes (almost 20,000 U.S. tons) for the 2024 season. However, this still falls far short of the 250,000 tonnes allowed in the 1980s.
“(This) is a historic milestone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians … we will cautiously but optimistically build back this fishery,” she said in the statement.
The news release stated that a responsible reopening program would generate significant economic benefits for Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy, while supporting good-paying jobs in the commercial fishery and processing industries.
Member of Parliament (MP) Ken McDonald said that historically, catching northern cod had long been one of the most important industries in the province—one that defined the heritage and culture of local people. He said that he fully supported a lucrative and sustainable fishing industry.
“Northern cod has a bright future in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings. “Our fishers have waited a long time for the return of a commercial cod fishery, and they are ready to meet the moment. Our processors are ready to deliver our province’s best product to markets at home, and abroad. Cod has been a part of our history, and it will be a part of our future.”
More than 30,000 people lost their jobs when the 1992 moratorium was declared. Many had to find new careers or were forced to relocate in order to find work. The moratorium even led to the abandonment of entire coastal communities.
“Like many of you, I remember the day we got the news announcing the collapse of the Northern cod. I remember the overall atmosphere felt across our great province and the devastation it left. Today is a great day: this fishery is coming back,” said MP Churence Rogers.
Criticism
The move came in for criticism from the the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW), however, a trade union that represents some 15,000 workers in Newfoundland and Labrador. The group accused Fisheries Minister Lebouthillier of reneging on a “40-year commitment to Northern cod.”
The group accused the Canadian government of failing the province and the recovery of the great Northern cod stock by removing the moratorium. With the moratorium lifted, the role of fishing companies reverts from that of protector and custodian to that of commercial fisher. Without the fishing ban, the Canadian government must now open up a percentage of the fishing rights to foreign vessels.
“Today, the Government of Canada abandoned Newfoundland and Labrador and threw out a decades-long commitment promising the first 115,000 tonnes of Northern cod to inshore groups,” the FFAW wrote in a statement.
The Canadian government’s press release confirmed that the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) previously established a measure to allocate five per cent of the overall total allowable catch (TAC) to other NAFO contracting parties when Canada would re-open its commercial Northern cod fishery.
Reuters contributed to this article.
