The province’s fisheries minister is encouraging Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to rally for joint management of the stocks off the province’s coast after learning that NAFO has taken control of management of the northern cod fishery.

A recent European Union release following Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization meetings in Halifax indicates that based on an EU-Canada proposal on northern cod, NAFO “reopened the fishery and established a revised sharing arrangement.”

It goes on to say that “it was fair and necessary to increase the EU share to reflect the current composition of the EU.” The release also indicates that NAFO is increasing fishing opportunities for 3M cod outside Canada’s 200 mile limit.

Provincial fisheries minister Gerry Byrne says northern cod has always been a Canadian managed fishery, but that’s changed.

“Spain and Portugal, the European Union, are boasting that they have subverted Canadian sovereignty to gain control, through NAFO, of what was formerly a Canadian managed stock and fishery.”

He calls the development disturbing.

Byrne tells VOCM News that Canada always “does the science, Canada sets the allocations, Canada decides the rules on whether or not there will be a fishery, and how that fishery will be conducted.” That’s now changed according to Byrne. “In a very, very disturbing and boastful communique, the European Union has formally declared that NAFO has taken ownership and management control of the northern cod fishery.”