NEWFOUNDLAND’S NORTHERN COD IS MAKING A COMEBACK

St. John’s, Newfoundland — Northern cod are making a comeback off of Newfoundland and Labrador almost 25 years after a sweeping commercial fishing ban devastated the Canadian province.

A federal government report released last week said cod stocks continue to rebound, but warned catches should be kept to the lowest possible levels for now as a precaution. The union representing fishermen and plant workers, however, wants to immediately expand the relatively small commercial cod fishery.

The report found that while total biomass was up 7 percent from 2015 to 2016, stocks are still well below what would be needed to sustain larger-scale fishing.

Canada announced a moratorium on the province’s commercial cod fishery on July 2, 1992, instantly throwing thousands of people out of work and sparking angry protests.