Northern Cod and Capelin Quota Decisions Prioritize Short-term Gains Over Long-term Abundance

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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia and MI’KMA’KI, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, June 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced an increase to the commercial quota for northern cod from 38,000 to 59,000 tonnes, ignoring scientific warnings and raising the risk of stock decline. This decision also overlooks growing and often unreported fishing pressure already on the stock — including a further five per cent allocation to foreign fleets, set by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) convention, and the food fishery now operating seven days a week. These additional harvests bring total northern cod removals to more than 65,000 tonnes.

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By shifting rebuilding benchmarks and downplaying key warning signs — including low productivity, fewer older fish, and limited food — Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is overstating recovery and weakening precautionary fisheries management that would support rebuilding the stock.

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At the same time, Minister Thompson rolled over the capelin quota at 14,533 tonnes, despite the species remaining at a fraction of its pre-collapse abundance. Capelin is the primary food source for northern cod, yet it has failed to recover for more than three decades. Managing both species without stronger, science-based safeguards undermines efforts to rebuild capelin and cod to health and abundance.

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Below is the response to the northern cod decision from Oceana Canada Fishery Scientist Rebecca Schijns:
“Increasing the quota for northern cod prioritizes short-term catches over the long-term stability of this fishery. The stock is showing signs of recovery, but it is not rebuilt and increasing removals puts rebuilding progress at risk. DFO should make decisions that strengthen recovery and result in a stable and resilient stock and fishery.

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Northern cod, when rebuilt, represents the future for harvesters, coastal communities, Indigenous communities, and the larger ocean ecosystem. The goal must be to rebuild this stock to a healthy and stable level that can support a fishery for generations, not just the next season.”

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Below is the response to the capelin decision from Oceana Canada Marine Scientist Jack Daly:
“Minister Joanne Thompson is moving forward with short-sighted management that fails to prioritize the long-term growth of Canada’s fish populations. Continuing to allow a commercial capelin fishery that targets roe-bearing females will not lead to long-term abundance and will undermine the recovery potential of northern cod that relies on this forage fish as its main food source.

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Forage species, such as capelin, are the foundation of a healthy marine ecosystem. They fuel the recovery of predators including cod, support biodiversity, and help sustain the productivity of the ocean that coastal communities depend on. DFO must adopt a precautionary, ecosystem-based approach that protects these critical small fish that drive an abundant, resilient ocean.”