For centuries, Northern cod has been the lifeblood of our province. It has shaped our culture, driven our economy, and been central to the identity of this place we call home.
The Northern cod fishery of Newfoundland and Labrador is legendary, with a history that dates back over 500 years. When European explorers first arrived on our shores, they found an abundance of cod that seemed endless. However, in the 1990s, everything changed. It was clear the once thriving cod stocks were in serious decline, and the Government of Canada imposed a moratorium on the Northern cod fishery in 1992.
The seafood world took note of the collapse, leading to the establishment of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification for fisheries around the world. The blue check mark continues to be the gold standard for sustainability today.
A lot has changed since 1992.
Not just the shift to sustainable harvesting and resource management. Customer demands have changed, and markets have evolved. As a result, the quality and product form expected from customers today are very different than those of the 80s and 90s. Harvesting and processing technologies have also modernized to enable fisheries to produce consistent, high-quality cod.
The Re-Opening of a Commercial Northern Cod Fishery
On June 26, 2024, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans & the Canadian Coast Guard announced the re-opening of a commercial Northern cod fishery. Good news travels fast and the reaction in the global seafood industry was immediate.
The end of the moratorium came with a modest catch increase and an annual catch limit of 18,000 tonnes for Canadian harvesters for the 2024-2025 fishing season. Based on the latest science assessment of Northern cod, this modest increase was considered a very low risk to the stock’s health.
Of the 18,000 tonnes, 83.73 per cent (15,071.4 tonnes) was allocated to the inshore sector and 6 per cent (1,080 tonnes) was allocated to the offshore sector. The remaining approximately 10 per cent was split between the Innu Nation, Nunatsiavut Government Indigenous groups in Labrador, a special allocation for Nunatuvakut Community Council members in Labrador, and a small amount to the midshore fleet.
Understanding the Science
DFO utilizes a Precautionary Approach (PA) which is a globally accepted approach for making fisheries management decisions.
The PA fisheries management framework identifies three risk categories or zones (Critical, Cautious, Healthy) and two thresholds (Limit Reference Point (“LRP”), Upper Stock Reference). When a stock is above the LRP and below the USR, it is determined to be in the Cautious Zone. When a stock is above the USR, it is considered in the healthy zone. Both are acceptable zones for commercial fisheries.
Using the latest science and an updated model, DFO’s 2024 stock assessment confirmed that the Northern cod stock is roughly 20 per cent above the LRP, the boundary between the Cautious and Critical zones.
Foreign trawlers are NOT permitted to fish Northern Cod in Newfoundland waters. The lifting of the Northern Cod moratorium in Newfoundland waters ONLY applies for local Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries.
The Offshore Sector – We’re Locally Owned and Operated
The offshore Northern cod sector consists of local, family-owned and Indigenous-owned businesses based in Newfoundland and Labrador. The offshore fishing sector provides year-round employment to over 2,000 locals from over 300 communities.
Like inshore harvesters, offshore harvesters are hardworking Newfoundlanders and Labradorians working to support their families and communities. Crew work in year-round jobs, harvesting various species throughout the year, earning a stable income with benefits.
The Offshore Sector – Strengthens Our Economy 
The offshore Northern cod sector contributes significantly to Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy. It provides year-round employment, supports local processing and enables access to premium global markets.
Offshore fishing vessels such as the ones operated by Ocean Choice land at local wharfs and cold storage facilities, providing millions in economic spin-off for over 200 local businesses. The cod they will harvest will be processed by local workers at Icewater Seafoods’ plant in Arnold’s Cove.
A Balanced Northern Cod Fishery
What is a balanced fishery? A ‘balanced fishery’ includes participation from all sectors, the inshore, mid-shore and offshore. It protects the viability of all fleet sectors, maximizing the advantages of each to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery.
A balanced fishery is critical for the groundfish industry, particularly species such as Northern cod.
Northern cod competes with cod from countries such as Norway and Iceland. These fisheries operate year-round, supplying premium, global markets. For Newfoundland and Labrador to be competitive, producers must be able to meet year-round market demand.
Iceland Example:
A top sustainable cod-producing nation
- Balanced year-round cod fishery.
- Smaller inshore vessels and larger offshore vessels
- Otter trawl (offshore vessels like those used in Newfoundland) and hook and line dominate the fishing gear
- 52% of cod harvested in Iceland uses otter trawl
- Fall and winter landings dominate, with most landings taking place in March month allowing Iceland to sell to high value global markets.
- With an inshore-only fishery in Newfoundland, most of the landings would take place in the summer months with virtually no landings in the fall and winter, preventing Newfoundland from being able to compete in the global marketplace as the industry would not meet year-round demand.
Sustainable Bottom Trawling
Approximately 26% of all wild-caught seafood globally is caught via bottom trawling every year. This is the same gear technology that is used by local offshore Northern cod fishing companies in Newfoundland and Labrador. Trawl-based gear is also used by all fleet sectors, including inshore and midshore vessels, in some capacity
Trawling is markedly different than it was prior to the moratorium. Like other industries, technology improvements and management approaches have evolved with a focus on sustainability and conservation. Canada’s monitoring measures are the most comprehensive in the world and includes the following measures:
- At-sea observer coverage exceeds requirements – up to 100% for some fisheries.
- Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week satellite monitoring.
- Logbook entries for every single tow.
- Daily catch reports provided to DFO.
- Independent, dockside monitoring.
The footprint for bottom trawling is relatively stable, and there is a substantial overlap in fishing areas across species from year to year.
Bottom trawling for Northern cod is carried out in less than 1 per cent of Canada’s Atlantic marine area.
The areas and depths of the fishing grounds fished with bottom trawls contain little vegetation, they are mostly sand or gravel, and areas with unique marine and sensitive benthic habitats are managed by spatial management, such as area closures, which is considered a global best practice by scientists.
These global best practices ensure cod stocks and marine ecosystems are protected while meeting demand.
A significant portion of inshore harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador are also actively involved in trawl-based fisheries.