In the past couple of weeks the Fishery Community Alliance met with the province’s premier

and fisheries minister, and Dame Moya Greene, chair of the government-appointed
economic recovery commission.
This is the full text of the proposal the Alliance presented.

Proposal for a
Independent Task Force on
Rebuilding Fishery Resource & Food Supply
A Task Force, independent of governments, should be immediately established, dedicated to
the development of a comprehensive and successful rebuilding of the groundfishery
resource (including cod, redfish and halibut) and their food supply, given it has been nearly
30 years since the 1992 Moratorium, which had a devastating and lasting impact on NL.

A redeveloped fishery is a renewable source of nutritious food that would sustain and
employ thousands of people in the roadmap to a Canadian blue economy. We recommend
the following steps to restore NL’s fish stocks; as well as any others deemed necessary by
the Task Force:

• Engage PM- A Letter should be issued from the NL Premier to the PM to highlight
how important this issue is to the people, culture and the economy of NL. This issue is so
significant – it should involve a press conference to underscore how critical this matter
is and show how the Government is “Rising to the FISH Challenge”.
• Science Focus The Task Force shall be comprise of experienced scientists, industry
people from the inshore and offshore sectors, including fishers; as well as
representatives from both levels of Government.

•
Modern Vessels The rebuilding plan will require modern research and well financed
vessels similar to those in Norway, Iceland and other fishing nations. These boats should
carry seagoing experienced scientists.
• Independent Assessment Given the ongoing deficiencies in DFO’s management of
our fisheries, an independent assessment of DFO’s science/Research capabilities in the
NL region is a must to boost recovery efforts.
• Species at Risk Act The Atlantic Cod was once listed as “Endangered” under
COSEWIC Assessment under the Species at Risk Act. To date, there has been no SARA
listing decision for the Atlantic Cod and the stock continues to be managed under
the Fisheries Act. This needs to be re-examined.
• Halt Harms One of the greatest threats to wild fish is Fisheries and Oceans
Canada. Steps should be immediately taken to halt any damaging resource practices
permitted by DFO. This includes the planned program to export more & more unprocessed

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 fish by FFT and FT owners/operators; and better monitoring of fish landed in NL. Further,
the harvesting of undersized and juvenile fish has to be halted – as well as the export of
poor quality frozen raw material. If we are to re-establish NL as a provider of top-quality
seafood products, these issues and more have to addressed.
• Caplin Care Given that caplin is the forage food for Cod and other species, there is a need to
reverse the present trend of destruction of this critical species.
• Fish Caucus As part of the awareness and advocacy of rebuilding all our fish stocks, we
propose a Fishery Caucus with the newly elected government – comprised of select rural
MHAs & scientific experts who will place the fisheries and its problems at the top of
government’s priority list. This group can, for example, engage with the Icelanders who
have indicated a willingness to help NL & Canada with this task and other fishery rebuilding
issues.
• Community Consultations These public consultations should also inform the Recovery
measures integrated into this Rebuilding Plan. “As we continually seek to increase our
understanding of aquatic ecosystems, it is important that we consider a broad range of perspectives.| DFO
(March 2020)
• Jurisdictional Scan To ensure we have the most effective measures to rebuild our
stocks, we must look to nations like Iceland & Norway to inform our best practices to save
our species.
• Joint Management Any long-term rebuilding of all our fish stocks must examine and
push for a federal/provincial joint management of this resource. We must have an equal
say in how our resources are managed. The stats quo has proven to be ineffective and
destructive, not just to species but to people, communities and a whole province.
• Seals The rebuilding of Cod must include an examination of the seal impact on recovery
and their role on the ecosystem in NL. It is important that the Atlantic Seal
Science Task Team Report inform this issue. ttps://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-
oceans/news/2020/03/government-of-canada-announces-members-of-atlantic-seal-science-
task-team.html
• Adjacency Principle Historically, there is an attachment and dependence on our fishery
resources which defines us as a people. Call upon the Government of Canada to establish a
“Declaration of Adjacency” which shall be defined as the fundamental right of those living in
Canada to have the first right of benefit from those resources that is in adjacent proximity
to coastal communities; and all allocations and practices are reviewed within this adjacency
lens.
• Atlantic Fisheries Accord Similar to the oil and gas industry, NL should be recognized as
the principal beneficiary of all adjacent stocks.
• Designate Cod as Provincial Fish Symbolically, this designation will signal to the nation
that we take pride in our fish and acknowledge its significance to the NL economy, ecology,
culture, well-being and soul and its importance to environmental sustainability. BC has
designated the iconic Pacific salmon as their provincial fish amongst their official symbols. If
we do not honour and celebrate our own iconic Cod, no one else will. NL provincial

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 symbols already lists provincial tree (Spruce); bird (Puffin) flower (Pitcher Plant), Mineral
(Labradorite), Dog (NL Dog).
• New Fish Law Government has an obligation to protect and restore Canadian fisheries at
risk – and the long-beleaguered NL fishery must receive priority attention under proposed
new laws under The Fisheries Act.