The Cod Came Back: What a Fishery Collapse Teaches Us About Overfishing

Five centuries ago, explorers off Newfoundland described cod so plentiful that a weighted basket lowered into the sea came back full. By July 2, 1992, so few remained that Canada shut the northern cod fishery overnight. About 30,000 people lost their work in what became the largest single layoff in Canadian history. In this first episode of a week-long sustainable seafood series, Andrew tells the story of how the collapse happened and how slowly the cod came back.

Andrew then breaks down the words that cause the most confusion in fisheries headlines: overfishing, overfished, depleted, and fully fished. Using the FAO's 2025 review of 2,570 fish stocks, he explains why 35.5% of stocks being overfished is a serious problem, why 77.2% of the fish actually landed comes from sustainable stocks, and how lumping categories together produces the misleading claim that 90% of fish stocks are in trouble.

The episode closes with what good fisheries management looks like, rebuilding wins like Pacific bluefin tuna, and a cautious look at northern cod's return to the healthy zone as quotas climb. Your assignment: pick the fish you eat most and look up its stock status this week. Pre-order Dr. David Shiffman's Why Sustainable Seafood Matters using the link in the show notes.

Takeaways

• Northern cod collapsed in 1992 after decades of industrial overfishing, and the moratorium lasted 32 years
• Overfishing is an action happening now; overfished means the population is already too small
• "Fully fished" (maximally sustainably fished) is the management target and a healthy outcome
• 35.5% of assessed stocks are overfished, while 77.2% of landed fish comes from sustainable stocks
• Good management combines science-based catch limits, bycatch and habitat rules, solid data, and fishers at the table
• Northern cod reached the healthy zone in 2026, but rapid quota increases still worry scientists
• Check your favourite fish on Seafood Watch, the MSC, Ocean Wise, or your national fisheries agency

Pre-Order "Why Sustainable Seafood Matters" by Dr David Shiffman now