Fishermen are advised to leave the harvesting of cod as of now as inshore fishermen have noticed an increase in the number of cod, and say there should be an increase in the amount they’re allowed catch. George Rose, a former federal fisheries scientist and the research chair in fisheries science at Memorial University, opined that there has been a big turnaround recently in the fish’s population a big change from even three or four years ago.
According to Rose these changes linked to the recent reappearance of caplin, the main food for cod at this time of the year. However when it comes to increased catch allowances, Rose argued that if ever there was a time for caution, it’s now. Federal fisheries officials are also being cautious. Northern cod licence holders are allowed to catch 3,750 pounds this year only 500 pounds more than last year.
Northern cod stocks off of Newfoundland and Labrador suffered a major collapse in the early 1990s, and the federal government imposed a moratorium in 1992. Since then, the federal government has allowed commercial fishing on a limited basis, as well as a food fishery.
