Opposition encourages governments to rebuild fishery stocks 

Marshall Dean, MHA for The District of the Straits-White Bay North and Liberal Opposition Fisheries critic, says as the 18^th anniversary of the cod moratorium nears on July 2, it is evident that both levels of government have not taken the necessary leadership required to rebuild groundfish stocks.  

The MHA raised the issue of the recovery of these stocks in the House of Assembly today to highlight how little priority this important issue has been given by both the provincial and federal governments.  The two levels of government formed an Action Team for Cod Recovery which produced a report in 2005 entitled “A Strategy for the Recovery and Management of Cod Stocks in Newfoundland and Labrador”.

 “While this government may have started off with good intentions, it appears other resource issues like oil have eclipsed this critical strategy and there has been little investment and priority given to this issue,” says Dean.   “The rebuilding of our cod stocks is the singular most important legacy we can leave our children; and yet, there has been no bold initiative taken to ensure this will ever happen.  Seven years into its mandate, this seems to have fallen off government’s radar.”

Dean points out that ground fish and many other stocks are at historic biomass levels. “Our government has failed to take a strong stand with Ottawa on the fisheries in general and in particular with the most important one of all, the responsibility to current and future generations to rebuild this renewable resource.  A healthy sustainable fishery is the only way we can compete with other countries and more importantly, the only way to ensure the survival of our rural communities. This is the base on which the success of all issues rests, including that of the MOU process.

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