Canada Northern cod (2J3KL) - handline/gillnet/longline

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Overview

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).    

FIPプロフィールレポート

FIP Description 

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.

FIP Objective(s) 

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.

FIP Type 
Comprehensive
FIP Stage 
Stage 4: Improvements in Fishing Practices or Fishery Management
Start and Projected End Dates
December 2016
December 2025
Update 
There have been considerable improvements both the biology and management of this iconic fishery. The spawning stock biomass (SSB) continues to increase and is currently estimated to be above 400,000 t, which is a major improvement from 10,000t SSB 25 years ago. There has been considerable progress in the growth of the stock, there remain outstanding items in our Fishery Improvement Project Action Plan related to the establishment of Harvest Control Rules. At the 2023 Framework Assessment, the revised stock assessment model and Limit Reference Point (LRP) showed that the stock has been above the LRP since 2016. Many of the outstanding items our Action Plan relate to the HCRs, additional time is required to have DFO Science complete the required work on the HCRs. We also note that Association of Seafood Producers/Atlantic Groundfish Council FIP has extended the time period for their Fishery Improvement Project for the same stock until 2025. Given that both FIPs are in relation to the same stock, we request a similar extension.
Next Progress Report Due 
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Species 
Common Name 
Atlantic Cod
Scientific Name
Gadus morhua
Buying Guide Link Image 
Atlantic Cod
Buying Guide
Gear Type 
Bottom Gillnet
Bottom Longline
Handline
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 21 (Atlantic, Northwest)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Canada
Geographic Scope 
Newfoundland and Labrador
Regional Fisheries Management Organization
NAFO
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
108,878 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
12,342 metric tons
Landings Date 
December 2022
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
December 01, 2016
7% 14% 79%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
May 2025
Target End Date
Dec 2025
Additional Impacts:
EcosystemRoundtable

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union/UNIFOR
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Erin Carruthers
Email 
ecarruthers@ffaw.ca
Phone 
7095767276
Website Name 
https://ffaw.ca/
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
2626