FFAW tells critics to 'stay in their lane' after Ottawa more than doubles northern cod quota

While those who work in the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador celebrate Ottawa's decision to increase the northern cod quota, an environmental group says the change was motivated by politics.

On Wednesday, the federal government announced it was more than doubling the total allowable catch to 38,000 metric tonnes of northern cod — up from 18,000 last year.

"It's a level that has been a long time coming, and it's going to produce some very good opportunities for both harvesters and plant workers," Fish, Food and Allied Workers union president Dwan Street told CBC Radio's The Broadcast.

Street said she sat down with federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson to explain the FFAW's proposal for the allowable catch, and felt the minister understood the union's call for an increase.

"I think [Wednesday's] decision is evidence that she did understand that and listened to harvesters, which I think is the most important thing that we can take from this," Street said.

Alberto Wareham, president and CEO of Icewater Seafoods, said the significant increase is good news.

"I think [it] will be a lot more cod for Arnold's Cove from the inshore and from the offshore, more year-round employment, more cod available for our customers," he said.

However, Wareham couldn't say at this time whether the increase could mean his plant would be open throughout the year.

"From Icewater's perspective, we would like to get a lot closer to 45 to 50 weeks a year," he said.

Wareham said his business will be ready to start buying cod in the next few weeks.

Politics over science

But there has also been some opposition to the quota change.

"The minister has chosen to dramatically increase pressure on a still depleted cod stock without any guardrails in place to prevent overfishing," Oceana Canada fisheries scientist Rebecca Schijns told Radio-Canada.

"This is not just a science oversight, it's a political position made under economic pressure."

Oceana Canada is a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to ocean conservation.

Schijns said history can demonstrate what can happen when a fragile fish stock is overfished. She called the federal government's decision a missed opportunity to rebuild the cod stock.

Schijns said concerning signs are being overlooked, adding biomass levels have remained stagnant since 2017 and the limit reference point that defines the critical zone was cut by nearly two-thirds.

"That appears for the stock to look like it's improved on paper, but the reality is far from it," she said.

"This isn't science-lead management, it's political optics dressed in scientific language."

Schijns said the move could undermine future economic opportunities.

However, Street dismissed the concerns from Oceana Canada that the move was politically motivated.

"I think Oceana Canada needs to stay in their lane," she said. 

"NGOs have no business making decisions or having input on decisions that affect the lives of our members or anybody who makes their livelihood on the ocean."

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