Northern Cod and Capelin Quota Decisions Prioritize Short-term Gains Over Long-term Abundance

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia and MI’KMA’KI, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, June 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced an increase to the commercial quota for northern cod from 38,000 to 59,000 tonnes, ignoring scientific warnings and raising the risk of stock decline. This decision also overlooks growing and often unreported fishing pressure already on the stock — including a further five per cent allocation to foreign fleets, set by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) convention, and the food fishery now operating seven days a week. These additional harvests bring total northern cod removals to more than 65,000 tonnes.

Source: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/12/3311281/0/en/Northern-Cod-and-Capelin-Quota-Decisions-Prioritize-Short-term-Gains-Over-Long-term-Abundance.html