Commercial Cod Harvesters Opposed to Increases in Rec Fishery

Commercial fish harvesters in the province are advocating for stricter monitoring of the recreational cod fishery and assert that unaccounted for removals in the recreational fishery could threaten the conservation integrity of the stock.

FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty said, "What we have a problem with is the severe lack of monitoring and reporting of recreational removals."

There is a petition to more than double the number of days in the recreational fishery from 39 to roughly 90. The FFAW says recreational removals are a significant source of uncertainty in DFO science and management and are blatantly contradictory to the Department’s mandate to monitor fish landings.