Glen Winslow is an owner-operator fish harvester from the Canadian province of Newfoundland with over 44 years of experience in the industry. He owns a fishing enterprise and holds a cod license employing six crew members. Winslow purchased a new fishing vessel in May 1992, just before the Canadian government declared a cod moratorium, which it is now, after 32 years, planning on reversing.
I have been a commercial fish harvester in Newfoundland and Labrador since 1980. I lived through the boom and bust of northern cod and the decades of rebuilding that have taken place for our coastal communities in the years since. I feel it’s necessary to warn the public that northern cod is not recovered like many say it is and that allowing the offshore draggers back onto the stock will lead to the stock’s destruction all over again.
The 2J3KL northern cod stock comprises multiple distinct spawning areas, with fish migrating between offshore spawning grounds and inshore feeding areas depending on the season. However, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has failed to conduct research on these key spawning areas.
I fish in area 3L, and I would bet my life that this spawning area is not recovered the same as other areas. This is clearly being witnessed on the water, and yet, federal management is letting draggers back on the spawning grounds they destroyed in the ‘80s.
In 2024, fishing effort for my enterprise increased, meaning I needed more time and more fishing gear to catch the same amount of fish as the previous year. This trend is not unique to me; many of my peers in the region report similar experiences. This increased effort is a clear indicator that the stock is not as healthy as some claim.
The root cause of this prolonged decline can be traced back to the offshore draggers wreaking havoc on our marine ecosystem. These massive vessels, with their indiscriminate fishing methods, did more than just deplete cod numbers; they destroyed vital spawning grounds by fishing primarily on pre-spawning aggregations of fish. The damage caused by these draggers was not a temporary setback. Decades later, we are still grappling with the consequences of their actions.
The slow pace of recovery in 3L is a direct result of species destruction by offshore draggers, and now that recovery is in complete jeopardy. Without healthy spawning grounds and proper management measures, the cod simply cannot reproduce at the rates necessary for a true comeback. While we have seen some increase in cod numbers, it's essential to understand that this progress is minimal compared to historical levels.
It's crucial that fisheries management decisions are based on the realities we face at sea, not on overly optimistic interpretations of data and whose pockets are deep enough to influence politicians or sway votes. We need a management approach that prioritizes the long-term health of our marine ecosystems. This includes acknowledging the true state of our northern cod stocks and taking decisive action to ensure their genuine recovery.
The decision to reopen the commercial cod fishery must be reversed, and the federal government must stick to their original commitment to keep draggers off our northern cod stock until the stock and our communities can recover.
