Fisheries Minister offers recommendations to sustain the Northern Cod Fishery

Gerry Byrne says Canada needs to inform NAFO that 2J3KL has returned to moratorium status, commit to a robust science program into the seal cod predator prey relationship, and state a clear allocation policy for northern cod

Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne says since being prorogued in January, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans has stopped working. However, Byrne says the search continues for solutions to rebuilding the Northern Cod stock. A commercial fishery was opened last year which went against all principles about how this fishery should be managed. Byrne has since sent recommendations to the committee for when they continue their work on the state of the Northern Cod fishery. The Total Allowable Catch for the 2025 fishery be set at removal levels recommended by Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s science in consultation with inshore stakeholders. The Government of Canada must commit to a robust science program related to Northern Cod and state an allocation policy for Northern Cod that is clear, unambiguous and not subject to reinterpretation.

Byrne says Canada needs to inform NAFO that 2J3KL has returned to moratorium status, commit to a robust science program into the seal cod predator prey relationship, and state a clear allocation policy for northern cod.  He says “Securing a prosperous and sustainable future for the Northern Cod fishery is critical, now more than ever.”