Slowly and surely, the cod that once flourished on the Atlantic shores of Newfoundland are returning.
For the past 20 years, the waters have been noticeably free of this species. Atlantic cod were driven from the region by overfishing and cooling water temperatures, which they are not suited for.
As a result, fisheries were shuttered and the industry took a hard tumble on the east coast.
As the cod begins to return, we must learn from those mistakes and begin to implement responsible regulations so as not to have a repeat. There are a number of interests intersecting here, but the preservation of marine wildlife to sustain a prosperous fishing industry well into the future remains the most important.
As the new government fulfills its promises to review environmental protections in Canada, we demand that they begin to look proactively at managing fishing to prevent the Atlantic cod fisheries situation from happening again.
Protect our economy. Protect our environment. Protect Our Fish.