3Ps Cod Stock to Remain in Critical Zone Until 2024
A year ago, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that cod stocks off the southern coast of Newfoundland, in NAFO area 3Ps, were in bad shape and in the critical zone (38 per cent of the limit reference point (LRP) of 27–53 per cent)
Jump ahead a year and unfortunately, nothing much has changed.
In DFO’s November 19th 3Ps assessment, cod biologist Karen Dwyer confirmed what many had already speculated, that the cod population in the region has not demonstrated much ...
3Ps Skate Fishery Small but Steady
Only about 13 inshore vessels pursue the thorny skate fishery in NAFO fishing division 3Ps each year.
For other fleets in the groundfish fisheries, it’s a bycatch.
“The skate fishery in 3Ps is pursued by both inshore mobile-gear and inshore fixed-gear licence holders,” said Robin Jahn, communications advisor for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
“The directed fishery typically opens to inshore mobile-gear licence holders in April and to inshore fixed-gear licence holders in May of ...
DFO Backs Off on Call for 3Ps Moratorium
Assessment Shows Northern Cod Stock Continues to Hold its Own
On any given year, the iconic Northern cod stock normally garners most of the attention when assessment time rolls around each spring.
But this year, all of the talk surrounded the 3Ps cod stock off Newfoundland’s south coast.
Earlier this year, in January, at the Groundfish Advisory Council meeting, the stakeholders involved in the 3Ps fishery seemed to have a consensus that for the 2021–2022 season, there would ...
Mainly Status Quo for Georges Groundfish TAC in 2020
Concerns Raised Over State of N.L. South Coast 3Ps Cod Stock
With the exception of a slight increase of 42 metric tonnes for yellowtail flounder, it’s status quo for groundfish quotas on Georges Bank (5Z) in 2020.
The combined Canada/U.S. total allowable catch (TAC) for Atlantic cod in 2020 remains at 650 metric tonnes (mt). The haddock TAC has been maintained at 30,000 mt, while the yellowtail flounder TAC increases from 140 mt to 162 mt.
The TACs are as recommended by the Transboun...
Is FFAW Crying Wolf Over 3Ps Cod?
Inshore Sector Increased Catches as Stock Remained Low
One of the characteristics of a fishery is that decisions about harvests run on two tracks: the scientific track of what can be caught sustainably and the allocation track, where fishers and gear sectors fight over who gets what proportions of the catch.
With Newfoundland’s 3Ps cod, mixing up these two tracks can take a relatively clear picture and turn it to mud.
This was the effect of FFAW-Unifor President Keith ...
3Ps Cod Fishery Closing
DFO advises that the 3Ps directed cod fishery will close to all fleets at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2017.
All fishing gear must be removed from the water by closing time. This closure applies to all vessel classes.
Fish harvesters are asked to return their Inshore Fixed Gear Logbooks after the conclusion of fishing operations.
The Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Region gives notice that Variation Order 2016-273 has been revoked ...
Proposal Calls on Federal Government to Support South Coast Fish Harvesters
The FFAW-Unifor has submitted an enterprise retirement-income support proposal to the federal government on behalf of harvesters on the south coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Harvesters in the area are facing severe economic challenges as a result of an unprecedented decline of fish resources. The proposal would improve incomes by reducing the number of enterprises through a voluntary license retirement program.
“Harvesters in 3Ps are facing a crisis through no fault of their ...
FFAW Calls on Ottawa to Assist 3Ps Fishermen
The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union and fish harvesters in 3Ps, on the province’s south coast, are calling on the federal government to take immediate action to address the severe economic challenges facing harvesters in the area.
As a result of an unprecedented decline of fish resources in the area, harvesters are experiencing conditions that rival the cod moratorium, the FFAW stated in a press release.
“Through no fault of their own, harvesters in 3Ps are struggling to ...
FFAW to Protest Decision to Extend Offshore Cod Season in 3Ps
Fish harvesters in 3Ps, on the province’s south coast, will be holding a demonstration at the constituency office of the Honourable Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador on Friday, February 26 at 10:30am.
The harvesters are calling on Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to immediately reverse a decision to extend the cod fishing season for offshore trawlers in the area. This decision comes after DFO committed to harvesters ...
