July 2022 marked 30 years since the cod moratorium began in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The federal government permanently shut down the commercial cod industry in 1992 to protect decreasing fish populations off the coast of NL. As a result, around 30,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians lost their careers and were stripped of a way of life that had been relied on for generations.
On July 21, Jamie Ward, Manager of the Regional Analytics Lab was interviewed on CBC CrossTalk by Adam Walsh. The episode offered insight into how the cod moratorium impacted the province and how it continues to shape the population today. Special attention was given to understanding history through lived experience, retraining programs, and how the moratorium affected rural life. Jamie provided an overview of demographics, such as how NL's population changed since the moratorium.
The full CrossTalk with Adam Walsh titled "Impacts of the moratorium three decades later" is available on the CBC website.
To learn more about the cod moratorium in Newfoundland and Labrador check out this article on the Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador website: Cod Moratorium.
When exploring data it's important to look beyond federal and provincial averages to understand local context. Local data is available and useful for policy development and decision making -- if you'd like help with a project or you're just getting started, send us an email at ranlab@mun.ca
