Here we go again. International relations and politics once more trump good conservation and science as the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) approves an increased quota for the Spanish fleet just days after fisheries scientists announce that there has been a small increase in cod stocks after nearly 20 years of a moratorium on the species.
1992 the cod fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador collapsed as a result of overfishing
In 1992 the cod fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador collapsed as a result of overfishing, both illegal and legally managed (or more accurately "mis-managed". The fishery closure devastated the provincial economy throwing 15% of the employable population out of work overnight. Many more would lose their jobs in the months and years that followed as secondary industries dependent on the fishery also suffered.
The closure led to a mass out-migration of people. In the years following the collapse of the cod fishery the population of the province fell by a staggering 20% and is only now, like the cod itself, beginning to show some tentative signs of recovery.
Now, instead of staying the course, with stocks finally beginning to show some increase, the powers that be have decided it's time once again to start raping the ocean.
At its meeting in Halifax last week, NAFO increased catch quotas assigned to Spanish ships for the next year, with regards to two species: cod and Greenland halibut.
The quantity of cod, which Spanish fleets will be able to catch, will increase by almost 180 per cent, from 796 tonnes to 1,447 tonnes.
At the meeting, it was confirmed that cod stocks had recovered - though scientific evidence shows the recovery is small and stocks are still a mere fraction of what they were during the 1970s - in Newfoundland waters, so it was decided to increase the total allowable catch (TAC).
Participants in the meeting and the ultimate decision to increase the quota included representatives from the European Union, Canada, United States, Cuba, Russia, Norway, Japan, Iceland, Korea, Ukraine, France, Faroe Islands, Denmark and Greenland.
Greed trumping common sense
Once again we see greed trumping common sense when it comes to all matters fisheries related. It's a sad day to be a lonely cod fish in the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and Labrador. The question now becomes, how long before the last one is finally wiped from the face of the planet?
