Active History and Shannon Conway, a recent PhD. in Newfoundland cultural history, remind us of the thirtieth anniversary of the Newfoundland cod moratorium, the profound change it made in Newfoundland, and its ongoing consequences.
Part of moving past the economic and socio-cultural trauma of the cod moratorium and the devastation it caused for many Newfoundlanders is finding ways forward. In recent years, the recreational ground fishery has become a highly anticipated part of many Newfoundlanders summers; most importantly, it actively connects Newfoundlanders to their history, heritage, and traditional foodways and practices, thereby recouping some of the loss experienced in the aftermath of the moratorium. As well, repurposing decommissioned fish processing plants that haunt many outport communities in rural Newfoundland is a considerable step forward by creating local jobs and removing the spectre of the abandoned facilities. In Burin, for example, a fish plant has been converted into a cannabis facility.
Conway points out the cod moratorium was and remains the largest industrial layoff in Canadian history, and is still in place after thirty years. There are few signs of the cod stocks recovering.
