Newfoundland Cod Newfoundland Cod FisheriesFisheries

By: Joe MersereauBy: Joe MersereauAndrew SullivanAndrew Sullivan

Fish and ChipsFish and Chips

OverviewOverview

Cod and cod fishingCod and cod fishing Who/what was Who/what was

blamed?blamed? Previous Previous

ManagementManagement Conditions of Conditions of

important stocksimportant stocks ManagementManagement

Overview Cont’dOverview Cont’d

Who/what should Who/what should be blamed?be blamed?

Our thoughts on Our thoughts on improving cod improving cod numbersnumbers

Atlantic CodAtlantic Cod

Average weight of Average weight of 2-3 kg2-3 kg

Found in waters 5-Found in waters 5-500m500m

Water of 2-3Water of 2-3°C°C Feed on smaller Feed on smaller

fish, crustaceans, fish, crustaceans, shellfishshellfish

Found in the North Found in the North AtlanticAtlantic

History of Cod FishingHistory of Cod Fishing

Started in the 15Started in the 15thth CenturyCentury

Many European Many European countries historicalcountries historical

Newfoundland cultureNewfoundland culture Historical fluctuationsHistorical fluctuations 1960’s showed a 1960’s showed a

definite declinedefinite decline

Canadian Heritage MomentCanadian Heritage Moment

https://www.historica-dominion.ca/https://www.historica-dominion.ca/content/heritage-minutes/john-content/heritage-minutes/john-cabot?media_type=41&cabot?media_type=41&

Causes of DeclineCauses of Decline

SealsSeals Fishing techniquesFishing techniques Over fishingOver fishing Starving ecosystemStarving ecosystem Climate Change: water became warmed Climate Change: water became warmed

which pushed polar bears up North so which pushed polar bears up North so seals have less predationseals have less predation

Badly managed : no quotas, then incorrect Badly managed : no quotas, then incorrect quotasquotas

SealsSeals

Increase in Seal Increase in Seal numbersnumbers

Reduced seal hunt Reduced seal hunt by 1900sby 1900s

Increase in seal Increase in seal predationpredation

Spread of cod Spread of cod wormsworms

Cod WormsCod Worms

Complex life Complex life cyclecycle

Reproduce in Reproduce in seal gutsseal guts

Expelled in Expelled in fecesfeces

Several larvae Several larvae stagesstages

Live in fish Live in fish musclesmuscles

Cod wormsCod worms

Devalues price of Devalues price of codcod

May have negative May have negative parasitic effectsparasitic effects

Good public image Good public image for killing sealsfor killing seals

Does not have any Does not have any stress effect on fishstress effect on fish

Seals defenseSeals defense

Selective predationSelective predation Difficult to proveDifficult to prove Cod show signs of Cod show signs of

starvationstarvation Seals eat other Seals eat other

predatorspredators

Cod Fishing TechniquesCod Fishing Techniques

Long liners Long liners introduced in the introduced in the 1950s1950s Uses one line with Uses one line with

various hooks and various hooks and baitsbaits

By-catchBy-catch Cod trapsCod traps

Chased CapelinChased Capelin

DraggersDraggers

Huge netsHuge nets Scrape Ocean floorScrape Ocean floor By-catchBy-catch Habitat destructionHabitat destruction Spawning Spawning

interruptionsinterruptions Increases Increases

predation on eggspredation on eggs

Over FishingOver Fishing

TrawlersTrawlers Floating Fish Floating Fish

factoriesfactories 200 tons of Cod an 200 tons of Cod an

hourhour 1800s1800s

150 000 - 400 000t150 000 - 400 000t 19681968

800 000t800 000t

Over FishingOver Fishing

Registered Registered fishermanfisherman 1975 - 13,7361975 - 13,736 1980 - 33, 6401980 - 33, 640

In 1990 400,000t In 1990 400,000t of biomassof biomass

By the end of 1994 By the end of 1994 1,700t1,700t

Unreported fishingUnreported fishing

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Effect distribution, Effect distribution, migration and migration and abundanceabundance

Cooling has effect Cooling has effect on reproduction, on reproduction, growth and growth and conditioncondition

Changed to warmer Changed to warmer northern watersnorthern waters

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Global warming Global warming may be a factormay be a factor

Climate has effect Climate has effect on currents and on currents and salinitysalinity

Reduced range of Reduced range of cod to a fifthcod to a fifth

Changes locations Changes locations of preyof prey

Other Causes Of Decreased Other Causes Of Decreased CodCod

Poorly ManagedPoorly Managed

No management of No management of prey speciesprey species

Quotas unrealisticQuotas unrealistic Lowering of Lowering of

BiodiversityBiodiversity No Sentinel fishingNo Sentinel fishing Gave subsidies for Gave subsidies for

fishing gearfishing gear

Poorly managedPoorly managed

No other job No other job opportunitiesopportunities

Minimal finesMinimal fines Problems with Problems with

foreign fish piratesforeign fish pirates Problems politically Problems politically

versus scientificallyversus scientifically

Moratorium Moratorium

2 year halt of fishing 2 year halt of fishing codcod

John C. CrosbieJohn C. Crosbie $225 a week to $225 a week to

unemployed workersunemployed workers 10 week period10 week period 90% of some villages 90% of some villages

were unemployedwere unemployed

MoratoriumMoratorium

20 000 jobs lost20 000 jobs lost Newfoundlanders Newfoundlanders

were furious at the were furious at the mismanagementmismanagement

Fisherman blamed Fisherman blamed foreign fleetsforeign fleets

Who Should Be Blamed?Who Should Be Blamed?

Government – blames natureGovernment – blames nature Ignored scienceIgnored science Delays decisionsDelays decisions Short term fixesShort term fixes

Who Should Be Blamed?Who Should Be Blamed?

Local Fisheries – blames gov, international Local Fisheries – blames gov, international fisheriesfisheries Also used new heavy equipmentAlso used new heavy equipment Demand re-openingsDemand re-openings

What Should be DoneWhat Should be Done

GovernmentGovernment Focus more on scienceFocus more on science More on compensationMore on compensation Make long term effortsMake long term efforts CommitCommit

FishersFishers Accept decisionsAccept decisions Follow rulesFollow rules

ReferencesReferences

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cod-morue/Strategie-nl_e.htm#4.3http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cod-morue/Strategie-nl_e.htm#4.3The response of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to future climate change Kenneth F. DrinkwaterClimate change joins fishing as cod threatBy Roger Highfield, Science Editor

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 14/11/2007Greenpeacehttp://www.stemnet.nf.ca/cod/contents.htmhttp://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-5_e.htm#14www.fisheriescrisis.comwww.fisheriescrisis.comhttp://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/en/pdfs/EssayEdwards.pdfhttp://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/en/pdfs/EssayEdwards.pdfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-line_fishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-line_fishinghttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070222155140.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070222155140.htmComeau, P. A confidential report conclused that Atlantic cod is endangered, Magazine CG in-depth Comeau, P. A confidential report conclused that Atlantic cod is endangered, Magazine CG in-depth

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/specialfeatures/atlanticcod/cod.asphttp://www.canadiangeographic.ca/specialfeatures/atlanticcod/cod.aspFisheries and Oceans Canada, A Strategy for the Recovery and Management of Cod Stocks in Fisheries and Oceans Canada, A Strategy for the Recovery and Management of Cod Stocks in

Newfoundland and Labrador . 2005. http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cod-morue/Strategie-nl_e.htm#4.4Newfoundland and Labrador . 2005. http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cod-morue/Strategie-nl_e.htm#4.4Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Closure of the Cod Fisheries and Action Plan to Assist Affected Individuals Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Closure of the Cod Fisheries and Action Plan to Assist Affected Individuals

and Communities. 2003 http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/infocus/2003/20030424_e.htmand Communities. 2003 http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/infocus/2003/20030424_e.htmFisheries and Oceans Canada, Why the Cod Stocks Havn’t Recovered. 2003 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Why the Cod Stocks Havn’t Recovered. 2003

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-3_e.htmhttp://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-3_e.htmFisheries and Oceans Canada, Current State of the Atlantic Fishery. 2003. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Current State of the Atlantic Fishery. 2003.

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-1_e.htmhttp://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-1_e.htmFisheries and Oceans Canada, STATE OF NORTHERN AND GULF COD STOCKS IN 2003 http://www.dfo-Fisheries and Oceans Canada, STATE OF NORTHERN AND GULF COD STOCKS IN 2003 http://www.dfo-

mpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-2_e.htmmpo.gc.ca/media/backgrou/2003/cod-2_e.htm