On the 32nd anniversary of the 1992 cod moratorium the FFAW is calling on the federal government to reverse its decision to have a commercial cod fishery this year.

The union wants a stewardship fishery—the system that had been in place since 2006—to be reinstated, including all of the rules that had been in place last year.

They say last week’s designation of a commercial cod fishery allows offshore draggers access to the stock.

President Greg Pretty asserts that the decision amounts to a broken promise from the Prime Minister.

In a 2015 response to an FFAW questionnaire, Justin Trudeau—who was then campaigning for office—committed that the first 115,000 MT of the quota would go to inshore harvesters as the stock rebuilds.

Pretty says now a quota of 19,000 tonnes has been set and offshore draggers are getting access.

They want the stewardship fishery in place until that 115,000 MT threshold is met.

Inshore council member Glen Winslow says a stewardship fishery “is the only way forward here,” and worries that allowing offshore access will cause “irreparable harm” to the fishery, coastal communities, and the province as a whole.

The FFAW is launching a House of Commons e-petition tomorrow on the issue.