FFAW Calls for Reconsideration of 2026 Mackerel Fishery Decision

The FFAW-Unifor is urging the federal government to reconsider its 2026 mackerel management decision, arguing that the latest measures fail to reflect what fish harvesters are seeing on the water around Newfoundland and Labrador.

The union said it remains frustrated by the continued closure of the commercial mackerel fishery, which has been shut down since 2022. The FFAW said it has spent the past several years working to have the fishery reopened through sampling programs, documenting harvesters’ observations and meeting with federal fisheries officials.

Last week, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced its latest science assessment found the mackerel stock had increased by nearly 50 per cent compared with the previous year but remained in the critical zone. As a result, federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson increased the total allowable catch to 1,500 tonnes, including 1,400 tonnes designated for a personal-use bait fishery.

The union argued that the bait allocation offers little benefit to Newfoundland and Labrador harvesters, noting that only a small portion of the available quota has been utilized in the province during the past two years.

The union also criticized what it described as limitations imposed by the federal Fisheries Act and the mackerel rebuilding plan. It said if current legislation prevents the minister from responding to increasing stock abundance and harvesters’ observations, changes to the legislation should be considered.