St. John’s, NL, Canada – Today, four leading industry associations announced that Acoura Fisheries will be conducting an assessment of the NAFO areas 0A, 0B and 2+3KLMNO Canadian Greenland halibut (turbot) trawl and gillnet fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard for sustainable fisheries. An MSC certificate will further demonstrate the commitment of Canadian […]
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Northern Cod: Focusing on Facts and Science to Protect the Future
In March, word of a single-year 30% decline in Northern Cod attracted the attention of media, scientists and environmental groups from around the globe. The world was clearly watching Canada’s management of this stock. It was quite telling to see how various stakeholders responded. From a scientific perspective, I was disappointed but not surprised with […]
World-class acoustic research to launch on iconic Northern Cod resource
Brussels, Belgium – A world-class, offshore acoustic tracking project will soon see an array of acoustic receivers deployed in waters off Eastern Canada, and acoustic tags will be placed on Northern Cod soon after, thanks to work taking place in the Northern Cod Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) led by two industry associations. The movement of cod […]
GEAC calls on DFO to reduce Northern Cod catch to promote its recovery for the future
St. John’s – The Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council (GEAC) has called upon the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to take decisive action to help protect and rebuild the iconic Northern Cod Stock by proposing a reduction of over 50% in catch. “Since 2016, GEAC has repeatedly expressed concerns about aggressive increases in the Northern Cod […]
Year-round harvesters continue to urge DFO to adopt a more precautionary approach for Northern Cod
Recent catch levels authorized by DFO are too aggressive for this declining stock that is deep within its critical zone St. John’s – This week, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) released its 2018 science assessment for 2J3KL cod, also known as Northern Cod. The 29% single-year decline in spawning stock biomass (SSB) is extremely […]
Backgrounder – Northern Cod spawning stock biomass (SSB)
Highlights Based on DFO’s science update, spawning stock biomass for Northern Cod has decreased 29% from 2017 to 2018. The 2018 spawning stock biomass of 315,000mt is actually 15-20% lower now than it was in 1992 when the Cod Moratorium was called. At the same time, fishing mortality (i.e., catches) have increased almost 300% from […]
Missing the Mark on NL South Coast Cod
A new year provides an opportunity for all participants in the fisheries to take stock of its successes and failures. One area that needs reflection from industry as a whole is the cod resource off the South Coast of Newfoundland in 3Ps. The state of this stock is no surprise to anyone. Science representatives from […]
Cod conference a step in the right direction, experts’ messages loud and clear
St. John’s – The Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council (GEAC), the industry association representing the year-round harvesting sector in Atlantic Canada, is congratulating the Canadian Center for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) and its partners for a successful and productive conference on the future of cod in Newfoundland and Labrador. The conference wrapped up in Gander on Wednesday, featuring […]
Opening of South Coast cod fishery secures hundreds of local jobs and ensures continued cod supply to vital European markets
St. John’s – On Friday, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced the important opening of the 3Ps cod fishery (cod caught off the South Coast of Newfoundland) for the greater than 100’ sector. Although the year-round harvesters’ long-standing quota share is only approximately 14 per cent of the Canadian Total Allowable Catch (TAC), it […]
The Future of Northern Cod Gets a Boost from the Federal Government
St. John’s, NL – The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, federal Minister of Science, today announced over $500 million in research infrastructure funding for Canadian research institutions provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), including over $4.8 million in support for the Development of an Autonomous Marine Observation System (DAMOS), led by Memorial University in partnership […]