Fisheries union, processors create council to plan for sustainable cod fishery

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Fishermen and processors are joining together in a unique group aimed at creating a sustainable cod fishery, as hope builds that the iconic stock is recovering.

The Food, Fish and Allied Workers union says an equal number of its members will form a council with fish processors to develop a plan for the future of the northern groundfish industry.

Union spokeswoman Jessica McCormick says the two groups are usually on opposite sides of the negotiating table but that they need to work together if they want to transition back to a healthy cod fishery.

She says a commercial cod fishery can’t be managed like it was in the past, when overfishing wiped out stocks and led to the imposition of a moratorium in the 1990s.

The union says a joint plan is important because shellfish stocks, which many groundfish fishermen turned to after the collapse of cod stocks, are being depleted.