(April 20, 2026 – Barcelona, Spain) – There was an unmistakable sentiment of positivity and pride at today’s Northern Cod ‘Fishery Improvement Project’ update at the Global Seafood Expo in Barcelona. For the last decade, industry, government, academia, and international customers have been meeting annually to review progress on the FIP, discuss the latest science on the stock, and reaffirm their collective commitment to support the sustainable management and growth of the iconic stock.
While the last couple of years have been positive for the stock, a remarkable comeback story is unfolding in 2026. The best available science confirms Northern cod not only remains in the ‘Healthy Zone’ under DFO’s precautionary approach framework but has grown 20% in the last year. Northern cod continues to have the largest spawning stock biomass of any cod stock in the world at 540,000 mt, and the science assessment included strong signals that the stock will continue to grow in the years ahead.
Attendees at the meeting were met with long-awaited news; Northern cod is officially entering the assessment process for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification in 2026. It is a significant and poignant moment as the establishment of MSC globally was in response to the collapse of the very stock that is now entering its assessment process.
Stakeholders in attendance included: Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), Marks & Spencer, Sofina Foods / Young’s, Thistle Seafoods and New England Seafood from the United Kingdom; Sysco France, Cornic-Novamer, and Cité Marine from France; Nomad Foods from Europe; High Liner Foods from Canada/United States; and Canadian producer organizations including Ocean Choice International, Icewater Seafoods, Ueushuk Fisheries, the Atlantic Groundfish Council and the Association of Seafood Producers. Representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the Marine Stewardship Council, as well as researchers from Dalhousie and Memorial universities, also participated.
The FIP is led jointly by the Atlantic Groundfish Council and the Association of Seafood Producers and has an ‘A’ rating. Since its inception in 2015, the FIP has had the support of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), a respected nonprofit operating with seafood supply chains globally to rebuild depleted fish stocks, reduce the environmental impacts of fishing and fish farming, and ensure sustained economic opportunities for fishing communities worldwide. Since last year’s meeting, the FIP has been focused on researching stock movement and structure using data from its NCAT project. Two new projects in 2026 will investigate natural mortality and spawning with the hope of better informing our understanding of stock dynamics and improving the Northern cod assessment model.
Quotes
“Industry, academia, government, ENGOs and customers have demonstrated a decades long commitment to the recovery and long-term sustainability of Northern cod. Through the AGC-ASP Fishery Improvement Project, we have aimed to address gaps in scientific information to facilitate sustainable management of this stock for all. With a healthy and growing stock, the research achieved through the FIP will be a meaningful part of the understanding and management of Northern cod well into the future.
— Sylvie Lapointe, President, Atlantic Groundfish Council
“There is excitement and pride here in Barcelona today, but there is also growing excitement and pride at home in Newfoundland and Labrador, where people and communities will feel the economic benefits of a strong, healthy, Northern cod stock that is sought around the world.”
— Lorelei Roberts, Executive Director, Association of Seafood Producer
“The progress made by the Northern cod fishery reflects decades of hard work and collaboration by the fishers, the management agency, and many stakeholders. I congratulate all those involved who have got the fishery to this point. It is a remarkable turnaround and will mean so much to the coastal communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Entering full assessment against MSC’s standard for environmentally responsible and sustainable fishing is a milestone and incredibly poignant moment. It was the collapse of this very fishery that led to the creation of the MSC in 1997 and the evolution of a sustainable seafood movement. The fishery will now be assessed by a team of independent experts in a very transparent and evidence-based process which encourages active stakeholder engagement and participation.”
— Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
“A generation ago, lessons learned from Northern cod shaped best fishing practices of fisheries around the world. Following two successful years of a commercial fishery, the latest science on the stock points to a remarkable recovery. At High Liner Foods, we are proud to be a long-term supporter and contributor to the Northern Cod fisheries improvement project, and we are eager for Newfoundland and Labrador cod to become a larger part of our supply of responsibly harvested and managed seafood.”
— Paul Jewer, President & CEO High Liner Foods.
“The positive science assessment and increases to annual catch of Northern cod is well-timed. Some other prominent cod stocks have experienced a decline, and customers are looking to Canada to provide a consistent supply of high-quality cod – something we know the people and province of Newfoundland and Labrador have long wanted to be able to offer. We have great respect for and relationships with industry and hope to be offering more Northern cod to our customers well into the future.”
— Olivier Canonne, Sustainability Manager, Sysco France
“Northern cod entering the rigorous process for MSC certification is a long-awaited milestone. Customers have a high degree of confidence in the stock, are proud to support the FIP, and executives from the largest seafood retailers and suppliers in Europe and North America are taking the time to participate at the working group meeting in Barcelona. This is happening while global cod supply is decreasing, creating a unique opportunity for the stock and those who contribute to its responsible harvesting and processing.
— Alberto Wareham, President & CEO, Icewater Seafoods.
“For industry, science and sustainability experts to have the confidence to seek MSC- sustainability certification, speaks to the strength of the stock, and the importance of the moment for Northern cod. Our Canadian offshore vessels have had two successful years sustainably harvesting Northern cod and the positive science aligns with what harvesters are seeing on the water. Our crew continues to report strong catch rates, high quality and healthy stock condition, with virtually no bycatch—reinforcing the sustainability of this fishery as it moves into MSC assessment.
— Carey Bonnell, Vice President of Sustainability & Engagement, Ocean Choice International
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Media contact
Sarah Fleming I [email protected] I 709-725-5830
Northern Cod Fishery Improvement Project
The Atlantic Groundfish Council and its members have demonstrated a deep commitment to the recovery of the Northern cod stock by leading a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) with the Association of Seafood Producers. Customers in the UK, US, and France also financially contribute to the FIP. The FIP is filling knowledge gaps identified collectively by industry, academia and government and includes a multi-million dollar world class acoustic tracking project that will help define the migration patterns of Northern cod, necessary for good management.
About the Atlantic Groundfish Council
The Atlantic Groundfish Council is a non-profit industry association representing year-round groundfish harvesters in Atlantic Canada. Its members employ thousands of people, mostly in year-round jobs in rural communities throughout Atlantic Canada. The Council contributes to research that will improve the sustainability and management of groundfish fisheries by actively supporting science, sustainability certifications and responsible management.
About the Association of Seafood Producers
The Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) is a not-for-profit industry association representing seafood producers in Newfoundland and Labrador. ASP is committed to promoting sustainability, economic growth, and responsible practices in the seafood processing sector while advocating for the interests of its members on provincial, national, and international stages.
About Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is globally recognized nonprofit that operates around the world to rebuild depleted fish stocks. CEO and Founder, Jim Cannon – who engages direction with the Atlantic Groundfish Council on Northern cod – has worked on fisheries, forestry, and conservation issues in Asia, Europe, and the Americas for more than three decades. Jim founded SFP in 2006 to scale-up the impact of fisheries improvement efforts. At the time, there was no organization like SFP, working with the seafood industry to drive change through their supply chains. The model for fisheries conservation that Jim and the SFP team created is now the standard approach to seafood sustainability by seafood companies around the world. Jim’s experience also includes the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s World Review of Marine Fisheries, Conservation International (head of the conservation economics program), and several years serving on the Marine Stewardship Council’s Technical Advisory Board. Full bio here.
About Icewater Seafoods
Icewater Seafoods is North America’s only plant focused solely on North Atlantic cod. Despite many challenges, the local company has continued to keep Newfoundland and Labrador cod in premium global markets for decades. The Arnold’s Cove operations has invested $14 million in recent years to ensure its processing technology remains among the best in the world, allowing the 70,000 square-foot plant and its people to continue to focus on producing a high-quality cod. The plaint operates nearly, year-round, creating important economic benefits to the rural region.
About Ocean Choice International
Ocean Choice International is a family-owned seafood company headquartered in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since its founding in 2000, the company has expanded into a vertically integrated operation that responsibly harvests, processes, and markets a wide variety of seafood. With six fish processing facilities and three offshore factory freezer vessels, Ocean Choice is dedicated to the sustainable growth of the fishery. The company employs over 1,400 people across more than 300 communities in Newfoundland and Labrador and works closely with over 1,600 independent fish harvesters throughout the province.