A Canadian court has rmade a ruling in alignment with Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans' (DFO) recent decision that reopened the northern cod 2J3KL fishery.
The DFO reopened the fishery, located off the coast of Newfoundland, after a 32-year moratorium despite objections from the Fish, Food, and Allied Workers (FFAW) union. The union claimed the DFO’s quota allocations, which included 1,080 metric tons (MT) of quota for the offshore fishing fleet, were contrary to a longstanding promise that the first 115,000 MT of directed fishing activity would be limited to inshore harvesters.
The FFAW and inshore harvesters protested against the decision at provincial meetings, blamed the DFO for a shortened cod season in Newfoundland, and filed for an injunction to prevent offshore trawlers from accessing the stock.
The FFAW argued that the quota allocations should not go forward until a judicial review of the DFO’s decision-making process took place and filed for an injunction to halt the reopening. The union claimed Canadian Minister of Fisheries Diane Lebouthillier ignored scientific advice when it made its decision, an accusation backed up by reporting by the CBC that uncovered DFO staff were concerned reopening the fishery could increase the risk to the cod stock.
In a 68-page decision, Justice Cecily Strickland found the FFAW failed to demonstrate ...
