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"Stakeholders Gather in Barcelona to Review Progress of Canada's Northern Cod Fishery Improvement Project"
Industry leaders, including the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), Marks & Spencer, Youngs Seafoods, Sysco France, High Liner Foods, Ocean Choice International, Icewater Seafoods, the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP), the Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC), the Marine Stewardship Council, and Canadian government officials, convened in Barcelona ahead of the Seafood Expo Global to assess the ongoing advancements in the Northern Cod Fishery Improvement Project (FIP). Commencing in 2015, this collaborative effort aims to rejuvenate Northern Atlantic cod stocks along the Canadian east coast, once a prominent fishery that experienced collapse in 1992.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada reports positive developments, indicating an upward trend in stock health, with the limit reference point, a critical metric signaling stock vulnerability, now revised based on historical fishery data. According to statements from the Atlantic Groundfish Council and the Association of Seafood Producers, the stock has surpassed the limit reference point by 20%, exiting the critical zone.
Jim Cannon, President of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, expresses optimism regarding recent scientific advancements, underscoring the FIP's pivotal role in facilitating collaboration among industry, academia, and government to enhance fisheries management practices. As part of ongoing initiatives, the ASP and AGC launched a USD 8.5 million (EUR 8 million) tagging and tracking program in 2019, yielding promising telemetry data.
In the latest update, over 1,000 cod have been tagged under the acoustic survey project, featuring a 700-kilometer detection array equipped with 75 receiver stations. The FIP participants announced additional funding of USD 500,000 (EUR 469,000) from the Atlantic Fisheries Fund for 2024 to 2025, earmarked for array refurbishment and continued tagging efforts.
Stakeholders reaffirm their commitment to the rehabilitation of the Northern cod fishery, recognizing its significance in premium global markets and the pursuit of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification. Alberto Wareham, President and CEO of Icewater Seafoods, emphasizes the critical role of the FIP in securing the fishery's future viability.
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