Newfoundland and Labrador害羞草研究所檚 Liberal premier has once again penned a letter to the federal government opposing one of its decisions 害羞草研究所� this time about the reopening of the province害羞草研究所檚 commercial northern cod fishery.

In a letter Wednesday to federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier, Premier Andrew Furey said foreign offshore vessels have no place in the province害羞草研究所檚 fishery. The federal Fisheries Department害羞草研究所檚 decision to allow these boats to catch cod in the reinstated fishery is 害羞草研究所渁n affront害羞草研究所� to Newfoundland and Labrador害羞草研究所檚 fishers and processors, and the work they害羞草研究所檝e done to help the cod stock grow, Furey wrote.

Newfoundland and Labrador, and its small coastal communities, 害羞草研究所渄eserve to be the sole beneficiary害羞草研究所� of the northern cod fishery, he said.

害羞草研究所淭hese decisions should not have been taken without consultations with stakeholders in Newfoundland and Labrador,害羞草研究所� Furey wrote, adding: 害羞草研究所淭he time has come for the province to have a direct say over our resources.害羞草研究所�

Lebouthillier announced last week that she was ending a 32-year moratorium on the commercial northern cod fishery, calling the decision 害羞草研究所渁 historic milestone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.害羞草研究所� The moratorium was imposed on July 2, 1992, after cod stocks off the province害羞草研究所檚 east cost collapsed.

The Fisheries Department said last week that Canadian vessels would be allowed to catch 18,000 tonnes in the 2024 season, which represents 95 per cent of the total allowable catch. The rest 害羞草研究所� roughly 950 tonnes 害羞草研究所� will go to foreign vessels according to a previous agreement with the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, the department said.

Many have opposed the decision. George Rose, a marine scientist who studied Newfoundland cod for decades, said that by lifting the moratorium, the Fisheries Department is 害羞草研究所渞olling the dice on this important fishery.害羞草研究所� The northern cod stock off the province害羞草研究所檚 east coast hasn害羞草研究所檛 grown significantly since 2015-16, he added.

The union representing inshore fishers and processing plant workers has called on Ottawa to reinstate the moratorium. The 14,000-member Fish, Food and Allied Workers union said Tuesday that Canadian offshore vessels, which it calls 害羞草研究所渄raggers,害羞草研究所� should not be given part of the catch, nor should foreign fleets.

Union president Greg Pretty has said the offshore ships are 害羞草研究所渆nvironmentally destructive害羞草研究所� and do not contribute to the long-term sustainability of the province害羞草研究所檚 coastal communities.

Inshore fishers operate smaller boats 害羞草研究所� typically shorter than 20 metres 害羞草研究所� and they fish closer to shore than the offshore vessels, which are longer than 30 metres, according to the Fisheries Department.

A closely monitored 害羞草研究所渟tewardship害羞草研究所� cod fishery began in 2006. Its catch limit was 13,000 tonnes in 2023, and it was open exclusively to inshore fishers in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In his letter Wednesday, Furey said he has raised his objections with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He also demanded 害羞草研究所渁n immediate discussion on how our respective governments can structure a joint management approach to the provincial fishery.害羞草研究所�

Furey, the only Liberal provincial premier in the country, has previously taken aim at the federal Liberals over carbon pricing.

Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press