September 11, 2024 — Canada’s Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier made the decision to reopen the commercial cod fishery off Newfoundland and Labrador in June after a 32-year moratorium on cod fishing that put thousands of locals out of work. The newly restored fishery was opened in late July and, a little over a month later was paused due to landings approaching the seasonal limit.
According to sources, northern cod used to be vital to the province’s 400-year-old fishing industry; however, this has changed due to overfishing, poor fisheries management, and environmental changes, causing the population to crash in the early 1990s.