Common Name
Atlantic Cod
Scientific Name
Gadus morhua
Northern Cod, located off Labrador and the island of Newfoundland (NAFO Divisions 2J3KL), supported commercial fisheries for over 500 years. Excessive fishing combined with ecosystem change led to the collapse of cod. After many years of little to no recovery, the biomass of Northern Cod increased from 10,000 t in 1995 to close to 400,000 t of spawning stock biomass in recent years. Although, the spawning stock biomass is no longer in the critical zone, the building blocks for continued growth and a sustainable fishery must be laid as the stock is rebuilding.
LAUNCHING THE NORTHERN COD FISHERY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
In April 2015, WWF-Canada embarked on a fishery improvement project (FIP) to bring back Newfoundland and Labrador’s northern cod stock, signing a landmark agreement with the largest private-sector union in the province, the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Union. The agreement between the fishing union and an ENGO was the first major step in launching a five-year initiative to improve the sustainability of the only existing northern cod fishery—a small-scale, stewardship fishery with around 9,600 metric tonnes of annual landings—so that it may enter into the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process. WWF-Canada and the FFAW also secured support for the FIP from the Seafood Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador, Fogo Island Co-op and the NL- Groundfish Industry Development Council.
The FIP process formally began in November 2015 with a MSC pre-assessment that identified the issues that needed to be addressed to improve the sustainability of the stock. A stakeholder meeting that included participants from all sectors of the industry was held in September 2016 to help develop a FIP action plan to tackle the problems in the fishery. The Action plan was launched publicly in December 2016 that includes the necessary actions to address the issues of concerns in the fishery, responsible parties and timelines. In 2017 we began the implementation of the activities identified in the Action Plan to address the issues and concerns that were identified in the pre-assessment. Our goal is to move the current fishery towards a sustainable viable full scale commercial fishery that will benefit the people and communities that depend on it to thrive.
The gear types included in this FIP are: gillnet, longline, (also known as line-trawl) and hook and line (also known as hand-line).
| 7% | 7% | 86% |
| 33% |
| Behind | On Track | Complete | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 67% | 33% | 0% |
| Behind | On Track | Complete | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 75% | 25% | 0% |
The main objectives of the 2J3KL cod stewardship fishery are as follows:
1. By December 2025 the historic and northern cod stock will be at sustainable levels, meeting the MSC or equivalent standard for global seafood sustainability.
2.Once the stock has reached sustainable levels in 2025 there will be long-term economic benefits acheived for harvesters and local communities.
3. The FIP will achieve a high level of sustainability necessary for the fisheries – and the communities and the people that depend on them – to thrive by 2025.
