Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us

August 8, 1997
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

Temporary Halt to Purchase of 4RS,3PN Cod in place

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister John Efford is issuing a temporary order to fish processors in Newfoundland and Labrador not to purchase cod harvested in the 4RS,3PN zone. As of midnight, August 9, processors are prohibited from purchasing this cod until monitoring determines that the quality of the cod in the region has improved.

"There is no choice but issue this order if we are to regain and maintain cod markets," Mr. Efford said. "Fish harvested in that region for the past few weeks are of inferior quality either because they are glutted on capelin or because they are jellied. We could destroy our markets at the very time when we are trying to get back in the fresh and fresh frozen cod market after an absence of five years. We must not go back into the marketplace with a product that is of a lower quality standard than what we had five years ago."

Mr. Efford emphasized that the problem with fish quality in this situation is with the fish themselves and not with the handling of the fish by either harvesters or processors. He further emphasized that the problem is temporary, and that monitoring will be done to determine when fish yields and quality improve.

"Continued harvesting of inferior quality cod would destroy our markets. It would mean that when good quality fish are available later, we would not be able to sell it because of inferior quality product put on the market over the summer. This would reflect poorly not only on cod but on our reputation for other seafood products," he said.

Mr. Efford noted that processors favour a closure of the 4RS,3PN cod fishery until cod quality improves, but because the Department of Fisheries and Oceans would not close the fishery, a temporary halt to purchasing cod from that region is the only measure available to address what could be a serious market situation.

Contact: Josephine Cheeseman, Director of Communications (709) 729-3733.