As Northern cod stocks rebound, Newfoundlanders are expressing cautious optimism over a fish they nearly lost

Fisheries and Oceans Canada upgraded Northern cod stock status from 'critical' to 'healthy' in June 2026—the first time in over 30 years—and increased the commercial quota by 55 percent to 59,000 tonnes annually. The milestone comes 34 years after a 1992 moratorium that caused 30,000 job losses, and the moratorium itself was not fully ended until 2024.

Current harvest is only 5–7 percent of the annual stock, well below the 20 percent global sustainable fishing standard. The 59,000-tonne quota remains far below the pre-moratorium 1988 limit of 266,000 tonnes.