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For thirty years, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) has been a symbolic example of the irreversible collapse of a fish stock due to continued overfishing. Now cod appears to be recovering, but experts are urging caution and resisting overly optimistic pressure from the industry.

In 1992, the Canadian government was forced to impose a ban on cod fishing. The once abundant stock in the Northwest Atlantic, which provided a livelihood for thousands of fishermen, still yielded an annual catch of 250,000 tonnes at the end of the 1980s after more than a century of reckless fishing, but was eventually completely decimated.

The moratorium was initially imposed for two years, but as there were no signs of recovery, it was repeatedly extended and ultimately lasted 32 years, causing many fishermen to lose their livelihoods. Now, however, the species is finally recovering. ’This much cod hasn’t been caught in the inshore since 1991, so we’re navigating new ground’, says the head of fish processing company Icewater Seafoods, Canada’s largest cod processor, which is facing changes to cope with the sudden catch level. [1]

But how much has the cod stock really recovered? A year ago, experts warned against giving in to the industry’s excessive optimism [2]. This year, too, experts are critical of the government’s lifting of the moratorium. According to their studies, the cod stock has only partially recovered, to 38 per cent of its peak in the 1960s. The decline of the cod stock was mainly due to the collapse of the capelin (Mallotus villosus) stock, the main food source for cod, in the early 1990s. And as capelin continue to decline, there are clear limits to the further recovery of cod. ‘Until capelin rebounds, this really isn’t the time to ramp up fishing,’ said a representative of the non-governmental organisation Oceana. [3]

References:

[1] https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2025/06/19/massive-quota-boost-requires-change-at-canadas-biggest-cod-processor/

[2] https://www.facebook.com/groups/think.fish/posts/1008275744184804/

[3] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250604-canada-s-reopened-cod-fishery-on-shaky-ground