A public “afternoon of reflection” is planned at the Delta Hotel in St. John’s this afternoon to mark 30 years since the closure of the commercial cod fishery.
The Moratorium, only meant to last a couple of years, threw tens of thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians out of work overnight, and sparked a huge outmigration, from which the province is still struggling to recover.
An entire generation of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have grown since, some of whom may never be aware of the huge cultural and economic shift created on July 2, 1992.
Gus Etchegary, whose experience in the province’s fishing industry pre-dates Confederation, says the value Newfoundland’s cod fishery brought to Canada was enormous.
“When we entered Confederation in 1949, the Newfoundland fishery elevated Canada from 14th to 6th place in the world as a fish exporting nation,” says Etchegary, “it was huge.”
FFAW President Keith Sullivan says while the Moratorium was a huge blow, it also serves as a testament to the resilience of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who still managed to build a hugely successful, modern and diversified fishing industry.
He says that’s thanks to the skills, ability and determination of those who were able to transition to other species.
A public gathering is scheduled for today from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Delta Hotel in St. John’s in the very room where former federal Fisheries Minister John Crosbie made his fateful announcement nearly 30 years ago. The non-partisan event will include speeches, music by Jim Payne and an open mic for comments from the floor.
