06/09/2016
St. John’s – The Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Industry Development Council (GIDC) will be joining the 2J3KL Stewardship Cod Fishery Improvement Project (FIP). In the spring of 2015 the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union and the World Wildlife Fund launched this FIP in partnership with the Fogo Island Co-op and the Seafood Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The FIP includes a multi-step, multi-stakeholder process with the aim of improving fishing practices and management to establish the conditions to promote the 2J3KL Cod Stock to rebuild and either meet or exceed the Marine Stewardship Council standard for sustainable fisheries.
“Given the importance of 2J3KL cod to the fishing industry and rural communities Newfoundland and Labrador, the GIDC concluded that becoming an active partner in this improvement project was a logical next step in achieving their long-term sustainability objectives,” said Jim Baird, Independent Chairperson of the GIDC.
“Recent DFO science on northern cod has indicated a significant increase in spawning biomass. With the cod population in better shape than it has been since the early 1990s, we have reached a critical juncture and require a plan to move forward as this important resource continues to rebuild. The FIP will play a critical role in this plan,” continued Baird.
This GIDC was established in April 2016 with the basic objective of producing a market-driven strategic plan to revitalize the province’s groundfish industry. The plan will focus on maximizing the value of NL groundfish products in order to improve the economic viability and the long-term sustainability of owner-operator enterprises, onshore processing plants and coastal communities while respecting the conservation requirements of our rebuilding groundfish resources.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Jessica McCormick, FFAW-Unifor Communications Officer
709-576-7276 (office)
jmccormick@ffaw.net