June 3, 1999
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

John Efford expresses grave concerns over lack of
scientific data on northern cod stock

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister John Efford today expressed grave concerns over the lack of scientific data available to the federal Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (FRCC) to enable the council to make the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) recommendations for the northern cod stock in 2J3KL.

In a letter to the federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister, the FRCC indicated the "setting of a TAC for this stock cannot be done in a defensible scientific manner, as the Council follows for other stocks . . . We have therefore provided a range for the TAC of between 6,000 tonnes and 9,000 tonnes."

Minister Efford said: "It's been seven years since the closure of the groundfish industry and the science hasn't yet been done to provide the FRCC with enough information to give a recommendation with any level of confidence to open the fishery.

"There are still too many unanswered questions because of inadequate science. A sound management plan can be developed only if we have better science."

Mr. Efford added that fishermen should be calling upon the federal minister for an increased commitment to the department's scientific program in the province, particularly for groundfish. There has been a significant reduction in DFO's budget in this area and this, said Mr. Efford, is regrettable given the demonstrated need for more and better science.

"If we are to avoid the mistakes of the past," he said, "we must have this commitment to science. Otherwise, there is a real danger that stocks will not be adequately managed.

"The mistakes that led up to the moratorium in 1992 will be repeated if industry stakeholders don't share concerns over the questions inherent in the FRCC's 2J3KL letter to the Minister of

Fisheries and Oceans. We must have confidence in how stocks are managed and this can only be achieved with a solid commitment to science."

The Minister continued: "In fact, the major reason our groundfish stocks are in such poor shape today is because of inadequate science. The FRCC needs good science on which to base its recommendations. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans must supply that science.

"The federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is obligated to ensure that science is a priority for his department and that sound management plans are developed on the basis of this priority."

Media contact: Sonia B. Glover, Communications, (709) 729-3733,

Cell: (709) 682-0368, email: sglover@mail.gov.nf.ca.

1999 06 03                      4:50 p.m.